Report #86 Friday, March 27, 2026---- Phuoc An Port, Vietnam----Docked Starboard Side To Pier----6am-5:30pm-----Mostly Cloudy---88 Degrees---52% Humidity---14.6mph Winds----Casual Dress

Vietnam is a country of sharp contrasts where we will spend three days touring different areas.  One of them is the capital, Hanoi, a first time visit for us.  The country has a population of 95.3 million people that speak Vietnamese and some English.  We say sharp contrasts because the Volendam had entered the Thi Vai River located near Vung Tau on the lower south coast of the country.    The scenery is far from breathtaking .  That description will be appropriate in Halong Bay, we understand from friends that have been there in the past.  This river area we have entered is for the port of Phu My (pronounced foo me) or the substituted dock of Phuoc An Port due to commercial ship congestion.   Because it is located 7 miles from Phu My, a shuttle service will be provided to take the guests to a small downtown area 15 miles away.  Now that has never happened before.  And since there is no walking allowed in this port, another shuttle will take independent guests to the port gate.  The ship's tours will go from the new port without any changes. 

 

The river area is heavily industrial for miles and miles.  This country has come into its own after 40 years of conflict and war…….a war we grew up with as young teenagers.  Never in a million years back then, did we know that one day we would be visiting Vietnam as tourists. 

 

Vietnam has beaches, spas, resorts, hotels, ancient cities, caves, as well as Asia's greatest culinary secret – wonderful food.  A typical balanced meal could be sweet and sour, crunchy and silky, fried or steamed and always with soup and salad.  Hold the fish head soup for both of us, please.  Pho noodles in a soup is far more appealing.  Places we have toured more than once are Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, and soon Halong Bay for Hanoi, a first time visit for us.   However, we are not sure we are up for a long tour there.   

 

Speaking of tours, there were ten of them.  The short hour tours were 3.5 and 4 hours with a ride to Ba Ria or a visit to Vung Tau at $50 and $60.  There was a transfer to Saigon for $60 as well.  A visit to Chu Chi Tunnels was 10 hours and $120 with lunch.  In the old days, they used to take the guests into a real tunnel (talk about claustrophobia) , but now they have a sample tunnel we learned.  Three various excursions in Ho Chi Minh were from 8.5 to 9 hours, lunch included with prices from $150 to $200.  A boat ride in the Mekong Delta was 9.5 hours and $160.  One excursion our friends took was different because they went to a Saigon marketplace where they learned about the local veggies, fruits, and meats.   Then they went to a culinary school where the food was prepared by the guests and turned out to be their lunch.  It was 7 hours and set them back $150 and well worth the experience. 

 

Besides the temperature of 84 degrees, humidity at 63% and the winds 11mph, the very first thing we found out was that our TV feed was blocked.  No BBC, CNN, or Fox….only in- house pre-recorded programs.  Inquiring at the front desk, we were told the technicians were working on it.   Then we remembered it was the very same scenario last year.  There was no problem with our satellite feed because we learned that the local government did not allow it.  We checked our report from last year, and it was the same story.  It would be restored once we left the river after dinnertime. 

 

Breakfast was not well attended because many guests had taken tours.  We left the ship by 10am bringing our room key and the special landing cards that had been printed for us onboard.  There was a Vietnamese guard at the gate checking each and every card.  Some vendors were already setting up tables of souvenirs to sell to everyone.  Most of it was still covered up due to the windy conditions on the pier.  And just as they promised, there were shuttles buses to take us to Phu My City, a 15-mile drive from this river port.  For those folks that had independent tours, a shuttle was provided for them back to the Phu My dock where they could connect with their tour operators.   This is the first time that HAL provided a shuttle here, because we had no idea there was a big city so close, even though it was 99% industrial.

 

The scenic ride took us on good highways with tolls that were automated.  Eventually, we reached the outskirts of Phu My City which was really congested with big rigs, buses, cars, and hundreds of motorcycles.  With several long stop lights in downtown, it took a good 45 minutes to reach our destination which was Go Mart.  It was more like a mini-mall with the lower level consisting of a large supermarket….something like a Target.   This was the most interesting store there. 

 

Doing our research on the ship, their currency of Vietnam Dong was 26,337 to one US dollar.  Holy moly….  That is going to take some calculating.  Several years ago, we were warned not to buy any local currency, since some money changers were not always honest.  You may think you are buying legitimate currency, and find out it is counterfeit when you went to spend it.  Or you might purchase something with US dollars, and the vendor gives you change back in Dong.  Then the Dong turns out to be no good.   So for that reason, most everyone we know uses credit cards in the cities and hope for the best.   There is no problem back on the pier since the vendors are more than happy to take the US dollars….in a heartbeat. 

 

We walked through the entire market taking photos like "tourists".  The supermarket was just as nice as the ones we have at home with recognizable products with Vietnamese names.  Much of the fish, chicken, and meat products were frozen.  We saw frozen crabs, lobsters, all types of fish and fish balls.  Then we came upon a bin of frozen snails – big ones with heavy shells.  They were sold by the kilo (2.2 pounds).  Maybe they use them in soups.  We didn't ask.  Then we located the produce section with very nice-looking fruit and veggies.  One kilo of apples were 50,000 Dong ($2.28 US), and larger size apples were 65,000 Dong or $2.47 US.  Frozen chickens were 50,000 Dong or $1.90.  No inflation on food here.   On our way out, we spotted a fast food place similar to Burger King.  Their meal of a burger, fries and a soda was 58,000 Dong or $2.20.  A plate of spaghetti with a soda was 39,000 Dong or $1.50.  Other restaurants here were KFC and Pizza Hut as well as several small tea cafes and ice cream shops.   The second level of this mall had exercise places and some types of entertainment.  Located very neat here were towers of apartments where we think most of the port workers and their families live.  

 

Just as we decided to head for the bus, friends Greg, Heo, Ginny and Rich came along. Ginny had even found some bargains in the clothing section of the supermarket.  All of us were ready to leave, when a group of little girls and one boy can down the stairs with their moms or caretakers.  They were SO cute and made a big deal over all of us.   The oldest may have been 8 or 9 years old, and the rest younger.  Each and every one of them insisted on "high-fiving"  all of us, leaving them squealing with delight.  Kind of made our day too. 

 

On the ride back, we got more photos of what we did not get on the way here.  Much of it was the same for the 30 minute ride back.  Back on the pier, we did check out the treasures that were being sold on the tables under the tents.  In fact, we had a hard time squeezing in to see anything there were so many guests and crew buying stuff.    The prices were right and the vendors were happy to bargain.  It's a game with them.  We did find one Burberry shawl in peach colors, which will replace the red one I lost while on the windy deck of the Zuiderdam outside of Tokyo.   The wool scarf was tied around my neck, but when the wind caught it, the scarf went flying high and ended in the sea way behind the ship's wake.  Never saw that coming….. We did look through the piles of rather decent t-shirts, but their sizing is way off.  An XXL t-shirt might fit someone small.  The clue is to look at the neck.  Most all of the shirts had very small neck openings, something you do not notice until you get home.  We were back on the ship by 1pm, and happy to cool off in our room with a room service lunch. 

 

At 5pm, Captain Frank gave his talk saying we would be departing the port by 6pm.  All of the guests had returned early, but he had to wait for the pilot and dock workers to drop the lines.  We have 500 nautical miles to go to reach Da Nang in two days at a speed of 14 knots.  The sailing out of the river took about 2 hours at a slow rate of speed due to the number of large commercial ships and the dozens of small fishing boats that seemed to ignore the fact we were there.  Captain Frank said he had to zigzag to avoid hitting them.  And he blew the ship's horn more than a few times. 

 

The sun set by the time we went to dinner where we had nice appetizers.  One was egg drop chicken soup and the other was a salad.   Mains were parmesan-coated veal with a pile of risotto hidden underneath the meat.  We both agreed that this entrée was enough for four of us, because we could not finish it all.   Our waiter is always worried if we do not clean the plates, but we reassured him that it was excellent, just too much. 

 

The entertainer this evening was a vocalist named Matthew Croke, who we heard was very good with his music of a journey through a decade.  With the heat and humidity of the day, we were happy to turn in for a restful night.  Looking forward to at least one day at sea before the next port of Da Nang.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

334 Pictures

Report #85 Thursday, March 26, 2026--Sea Day Enroute To Phuoc An Port---Mostly Cloudy---81 Degrees---75% Humidity---11.5mph Winds---Calm Seas-----Casual Dress

During the course of the night, the towels on the carpet outside the bathroom did little to dry it out.  We are not convinced that the leak has been totally stopped.  We have requested for our carpet to be shampooed, but that cannot be done until it is totally dry.  What was more concerning is the fact that the toweling had absorbed rusty-colored water or whatever.  The big fan had to run full blast all day to dry it out.   We do hope this is the last of our room problems.

 

It was the usual day at sea with breakfast stories about Singapore being shared among us.   We all had done something different, which is fun.   Then it was a promenade deck walk for one of us, and online work for the other.   We went to the Seaview Pool for some refreshing lemonade, and we were soon joined by our buddy Greg.    We spent an hour catching up on news with other people we have known over the years.  There was a nice breeze blowing across the aft deck, so we tended to stay longer than usual. 

 

Later on, we had a light room service lunch with one bowl of soup and a sandwich.  Since we had reservations for a Pinnacle Grill dinner, we kept our lunch at a minimum.   And for the first time since we boarded the ship in Ft. Lauderdale, we did attend the Block Party at 4pm, which happened on every passenger deck.  All you needed to do was bring out an empty glass for complimentary wine.  Waiters passed trays of cheese and crackers, a bread stick, walnuts, grapes, and a tiny tuna mix on toast.    We stashed ours in our room for after the party.  It is difficult standing up, holding a glass, and holding a plate of food at the same time. 

 

Renee the manager of the Greenhouse Spa,  joined us as she served up the wines.   Shortly after the elevator lobby was full, Captain Frank van der Hoeven and his wife Alexandria came down the stairs from deck seven.  Handshaking and hugs were the best way to greet them, since it has been a year since we saw them last.  This will be the fourth year we have enjoyed having Captain Frank for one-half of the cruise. 

 

Now that we are approaching Hong Kong and Japan,  there is a special guest, Steve Schwartz, who is a master blender of the art of tea onboard.  This seems to be the theme of this cruise.    Now we know the reason we were gifted the special teapot and glasses with loose tea and bags during the Christmas season for our President's Club status.   

 

A new speaker has joined the ship by the name of George Sranko with wildlife and wild places as his specialty.   He spoke about tropical birds, right up our alley.   There was a port talk about Ho Chi Minh, and now we can catch both lectures on our TV. 

 

During the afternoon, we did see another cruise ship heading towards Singapore.  With binoculars and the camera, we were able to identify it as the Queen Mary 2.   

 

At 7pm, there was a half hour welcome onboard toast by the Captain in the World Stage.  Every passenger was welcomed as well as the new group that joined in Singapore. 

 

Dinnertime for us was at 8pm, and "our" table was ready and waiting.   There were very few guests dining in there, so we had good service.  Our meal began with wedge salads with two strips of the sticky clothesline bacon right on the plate, which we had requested the plate to be bigger.    It never fails, as we try to cut the wedge of iceberg lettuce, it overflows on the table.   The larger plates help.  Then we both had the lamb chops done medium with a small baked potato with toppings.  Very good and hot, we enjoyed every bite.  We did not have much room for dessert, but we managed to share the smallest slice of Key Lime pie they had.  Joan, our server, talked us into trying the rice with coconut pudding with milk and ripe mango.   It was very good and small, so we passed on the coconut macaroons, their final touch these days. 

 

There was a show called Timeless, performed by the World Stage cast.  They featured pop classics and classical hits also…..music that transcends time.

 

Back in our room, we had Vietnam landing cards and a copy of our passport page to carry with us while on tours or in town. We do not intend on talking a tour, since we have been to Saigon at least three times.   We will explore wherever the shuttle takes us closer to the pier. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

35 Pictures

Report #84 Wednesday, March 25, 2026--Day #2 Of 2--Singapore, Singapore--All Aboard 5:30pm--Docked Starboard Side To Pier-- Cloudy--91 Degrees--85% Humidity--18.4mph Winds-----Casual Dress

Well, the day started better with the bathroom facilities back to normal.  However, when we went to go to breakfast, we found another fan blowing in the hallway next door.  That's when we noticed that the carpet outside our bathroom door was wet….again.   Here we go once more.  We learned later that the room next to us with new segment guests had flooded all the way under their bed.  Somehow that extra water was finding its way to our side.  We did report the wet carpet and our room stewards promised to follow up on the repair.    Good thing we were leaving for the day, giving the plumbers more time to find the problem. 

 

It was going to be another hot day with temperatures in the low 90's with 41% humidity.  The winds were 18.4 mph with broken clouds.  At least there was a breeze, but it seemed to stay near the pier and the water.  At 9:30am, there was another crew drill, so we felt it was a good time to leave. 

 

Today was easy since we had purchased our 2 day MRT tickets and could go directly to our stop.   Today we got off at City Hall and walked through Raffles City, another fabulous mall of high end stores.  From there, we found our way to the correct street where Raffles Hotel is located.  A few years ago, the entire property was closed due to renovations.  Finally, it was re-opened and nicer looking than ever.  This hotel dates back to the colonial times with architecture to match.  It may not be as opulent of a hotel to stay, but it sure  has character.   Proper could be the best way to describe it.   Very British and a bit on the formal side.  There was a day that any visitor could walk through the entrance to the lobby, passing the turbaned door greeter.  Today, only the registered guests are allowed into the lobby.  And most all of them are well-dressed, not your typical tourist. 

 

One of the busiest places in Raffles has to be the Long Bar, located on the second floor.   It opened at 11am, and we were told was filled quickly.   This is one venue that does not require long pants to enter.  Years ago, we had been invited to a private tour of the hotel and lunch in the Long Bar by the marketing manager, who we met quite by accident in New York City the previous year.  It was quite an honor to have such a royal welcome and we did have a fun lunch in the Long Bar where beer drinking and peanut shell shucking is a common practice.  

 

This time we covered the property on both levels and toured their outdoor bar, which was not opened yet.  From here, we crossed the street with the intentions of going to see St. Andrew's Cathedral.  We stopped short after walking past Chijmes, another historical area that we have missed seeing here.  What we took for the steeples of the cathedral, were actually an old chapel that was turned into a Catholic girls school for 130 years.  The entire property surrounding this church-like venue is an area of premium dining and entertainment hub.    The courtyard is surrounded by gardens and greens with semi-outdoor dining. 

 

We never did search for the cathedral because it was just too hot, and we were running low on time.  From here, we back-tracked to the MRT going through the mall instead of walking the outside streets.   Our next destination was to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Gardens by the Bay.  It was a little more complicated getting there on the MRT, but following the map and directions in the mall, we got the correct train that went to the fabulous hotel.  In fact the entrance to The Marina Bay Shoppes was close to the MRT exit.  It dropped us off at the Casino and the canal where people were  getting rides in gondola boats that resembled those in Venice.   They do not go very far inside this massive mall, but it is something different for visitors to do. 

 

We made our way to the back doors of the complex and went outside on their boardwalk.    From here, we had the view of Marina Bay and the iconic Merlion spewing water from the Singapore River.  It was far better to take pictures from this angle instead of being in the crowd that was already surrounding the Merlion Statue.  There is a garden of trees that were dedicated to every country that participated in the Olympics years ago.  And there is a huge pond with purple- blooming lilies very close to the Lotus, which is a science museum.  

 

Time for lunch, we ducked back inside and found our way to Roberta's where we discovered very good wood-fired pizza a few years ago.   We had Tiger beers in bottles (no draft) and shared a Margherita pizza topped with extra red onions and pineapple chunks.  We were lucky to get the last table for two.  The service was good and we were on our way to do some further exploring.

 

Locating the escalator that took us out on a skywalk, we made our way to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.  We entered through doors that took us on a raised walkway high above the lobby of the massive towers.  We could look down at the activity in the busy lobby, not disturbing any guests.  Continuing out another set of glass doors, we walked most of the way to the Gardens by the Bay, but did not go into the park itself.  From this vantage, we were able to take many pictures of the domed conservatories and the "trees" that are famous here.  If we had more time, we could have walked the park .  Keeping in mind, the all aboard time was 5:30pm, we had to cut our walk short.  

 

We had to take two different lines on the MRT to make our way back to Marina South Pier.  The end of the line is here, so we were among the last to leave the mostly empty train.   Then there was the long walk back, which equated to about 500 meters to get back to the terminal.  Luckily there was a nice breeze blowing.  Once again we had to show our room keys and passports to gain entrance to the xray units. Then we went to the escalator up to the screening kiosks.   Facial recognition was done at two screens, then we made it to the gangway and back onboard. 

 

One of us was detained by the security folks due to the fact we had a message from Kumar, our Mariner rep.  He arrived in minutes and said they had dealt with the flooded carpet and it was currently drying with the big industrial fan again.   The story to this flood was due to a major pipe that broke.  We would learn the following day that it was more than just a broken pipe.   The carpet was still pretty wet when Kumar came with us to the room.   He apologized profusely, and we understood it was a fluke.  The new neighbors had it worse since their room flooded even more.  

 

Captain Frank, who joined us yesterday with his wife Alexandria, came on with his first update talk around 5pm.   Unlike Rens with few words, Captain Frank was very thorough with his updates.  He expected our lines to drop around 6pm, and he would work his way slowly through the very over-crowded harbor.   He claimed there was more ship traffic due to the partial closure of the Hormuz Strait.  The Volendam would travel 35 miles to get out of the traffic scheme area.  Now we will have 635nauicsl miles to reach Vung Tau, Vietnam in two days from now.  From there, we would go up the river to a different anchorage of Phuok An instead of Phu My.  Details would arrive later in a letter.  Besides the report of smooth seas and 81 degrees, he also told us the sunset times and sunrise times tomorrow.  We have missed that info.  And finally, we would set our clocks back one hour…the final hour back on this cruise he said.   Besides many commercial vessels, we also passed numerous small fishing boats all evening. 

 

We were really tired after two days of hiking and riding the MRT , so dinner was light with different appetizers of a pork/lettuce salad, and a mixed salad.  Both of us had the parmesan-crusted chicken with honey mustard and rice.  Very good and nice and hot.  Dessert was one special Bosche Ball and a coconut pudding.   We were about ready to leave the dining room, when good friends Greg and Heo stopped by to say hi.  They joined the ship yesterday and will remain on it all the way to Montreal.   Another surprise was a visit by another frequent world cruise traveler, Larraina.  Although we don't know her well, we have sailed on several cruises over the years.  Nice to see her back although she was still having jetlag symptoms.  We sure understand that one.

 

The show was a magician, Sunny Chen, leaving the audience spellbound.  We will have to catch this show next time.    Setting the clocks back that one hour will be most welcomed.

 

One day at sea, and we will be in Vietnam. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

388 Pictures

Report #83 Tuesday, March 24, 2026--Day #1 Of 2--Singapore, Singapore--8am-Overnight--Docked Starboard Side To Pier--Partly Cloudy--79 Degrees--85% Humidity--3.7mph Winds-----Casual Dress

We have heard Singapore referred to as a city/state, although we always thought it was a country.  Whatever it is called, it is one of the world's "hot-list" destinations.  The capital of Singapore is Singapore, with a total population of 5.8 million people.  The size of the island is 697 square kilometers with four main languages of Mandarin (Chinese), English, Malay and Tamil. 

 

You can expect to see a mix of old colonial buildings to modern architecture, billion-dollar gardens, striking new hotels, and modern menus.  Good food is top on the list with steaming, sizzling, and simmering everything.  A combination of Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian spices top the bill, as well as international types of food everyone likes.  One of those items is pizza, of course, with glorified cheeseburgers being a close second.   

 

The best way to describe this city is that it is user-friendly.  Getting around to many of the major sights, we have found taking their intricate underground MRT (mass rapid transit) works the best for us.  There are other options such as buses, taxis, and Ubers or Grab, or simply taking the ship's tours work OK.  The most visited sights in the city are Gardens By The Bay, the National Gallery of Singapore,  Sentosa Island, the Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo.  On top of our list includes the Botanic Gardens, Raffles Hotel, Clarke Quay,  Orchard Road, Marina Sands Hotel,  Little India and Chinatown.  And that's just naming a few.   Shopping malls are so abundant, you could spend days in them and not see it all.  

 

The bow was opened for the early birds among us as we sailed into the harbor of Singapore.  The weather was fine (no rain) and they were serving Singapore Rolls (more or less) and coffee on that deck.  The treats were also available in the Seaview Pool area, the promenade deck, and the Crow's Nest.   

 

Today happened to be the boarding day for the 5^th major segment of this cruise – 21 days from Singapore to Tokyo.  The "ferry" boat continues…..When going ashore, we had to bring our room keys, of course, but also our passports.   It was not a zero clearance port, so if some guests chose to stay onboard, they were allowed to.  Heaven knows, we have filled out so much information to enter here, we are perfectly covered as far as security goes. 

 

There was a major glitch with our bathroom this morning, and that was the toilet stopped working.  We reported it to the front desk, who said there were others in our block with the same problem.  The promise was that it would be fixed as soon as possible.   But would that happen?  If you all recall, this was a problem in January, after we boarded.  Back then, our carpet was flooding by the bathroom, the jacuzzi tub was not working, and the exhaust fan was inoperable.  It took time, but finally they stopped the leak.  Until this morning…..It was nice that our veranda was being cleaned this morning, but the commode turned out to be a different story. 

 

It was going to be a very warm and humid day with temps in the low 90's and humidity at 85%.  The winds were light at 5.7mph and it was overcast and cloudy.  No rain which was good.

 

So after breakfast, we headed off of the ship by 9:30am, and took the zig-zag  gangway to the cruise terminal.  Most of the tour groups had gone off, so there was no line.  At this point, we had to scan our passport, then have our photo taken for photo recognition.  Whatever it was, it worked and we were both given the green light and allowed through the gate.    Going out of the terminal, we had to have our stuff x-rayed as well as ourselves.  One of us always sets the alarm off, so a quick scanning reveals the titanic knee replacement and any hooks or zippers on your clothing. 

 

There was a port shuttle offered that took the folks to Marina Square, which we understand was close to Marina Bay and the Merlion Statue. It was running every 30 minutes until 9pm.     That was not exactly where we needed to go, so we opted to walk the distance to enter the MRT at Marina South Pier, which is the end of the North/South red line.   We discovered this connection to the MRT several years ago when this terminal was new, and we were bumped out of the Harborfront Pier. 

 

Adding to the crowd, were the incoming guests of the Genting Dream, a luxury cruise ship of 150,695 gross tons aimed mainly to the Asian market.  Launched in 2016, it holds 3300 passengers and a crew of 1700.  These new guests came by the hundreds pulling suitcases to check in.  We guess that the ship goes from here to Hong Kong and is mainly a gambling ship.  

 

There were some tours here today and tomorrow as well.  Gardens By The Bay and  Marina Sands was a transfer for 3.5 hours and $50.  Singapore highlights was 5 hours and $80.  Panoramic Singapore was 3.25 hours for $70 and mostly a ride.  The Night Safari was 4.5 hours and $130, while iconic Singapore was 4.5 hours and $140.  Two new excursions had been added  with Chinatown Tea for 5 hours and $160 and Journey through tea for 4.25 hours and $270.  Around the island was 7.25 hours and $170.  And finally a transfer to the airport if you were leaving was 4.5 hours for $100.  And there was the Big Bus (Ho-ho) to do on your own. 

 

Last year, we had saved the EZ MRT passes that hold enough money to get you to a station that sells the1,2,or3 day MRT cards.  These EZ passes were good until 2030 which we found to be true when we used them at the Marina South Pier Station.   So the day of heading down long flights of escalators began as we caught the train to Raffles Place.  Two 2 day tickets set us back $48 Singapore dollars, which was about $37 USD.  That would give us two full days of unlimited rides all over the entire island.   This would give us the freedom to  go where we wanted and stay as long as we wished.  And today there was less pressure to return to the ship since we were staying overnight.  

 

We got back on the train and headed towards Dhoby Ghat where we transferred to another line to Chinatown.  We have to add a compliment to the Singaporean people.  They will offer you their seat when they see you are a senior.    Not only the kids, but also adults who may be close to our ages.   Another nice thing is that if you stop to check a map for instance, locals will stop and ask if you need help.  Who takes the time to do that these days?  That did help when we came out of a station or mall, and forgot which way to turn. 

 

So we toured most all of Chinatown where the food stalls were already serving breakfast and soon lunch.  We always are amazed at the number of hawkers there selling everything  from ducks, chickens, pork, and all the pieces and parts of the animals as well.   And this is not a trendy eatery, but more like fast food Chinese -style.  Sure makes for great photos.  We believe it is easier for the locals to dine out than cook for themselves.  And the prices were very reasonable.   Later in the evening, we knew of many guests from the ship that went to Chinatown for dinner to eat at the sidewalk stalls. 

 

Back down like gophers, we caught the train to Little India.   You definitely get a workout just by walking and riding escalators from one point to another.   Little India is a vibrant marketplace showcasing the Indian culture with many shops selling spices, snacks, saris, jewelry, souvenirs of brass, and many treasures.   There are at least two main streets of fun shopping just like being in India.  There was one nicer shop where we bought three fringed silky tops over the years.  However, it has since shut down and was no longer there.   Did I really need any more silky tops?  No, but I just like to look….my favorite last words.  This is another area where the folks like to dine at night. 

 

We continued to pass through their produce and meat and fish departments.  After passing through their dining hall where people were eating hearty lunches of Indian cuisine, we headed for the marketplace.   This is a very old market  where they sell fresh fish, poultry, pork and lamb.  Never did see any beef products.  The other half is produce, some of which is imported from Australia and other parts of Asia.  One item that is forbidden to bring on the MRT or even back to the ship is durian.   It is a particularly smelly fruit, which we are told by the Indonesians that they are good to eat.  It is an acquired taste to be certain.  Did we try it?   Nope and never will.  One big whiff of it is enough for us. 

 

Time to head on, we went to the Botanic Gardens, knowing that our time was limited there for two reasons.   One was that we were getting tired and the other was the heat.  We were not really surprised to see few locals in this park, it was that hot.  So we entered and walked for about ½ hour, then headed back down to the coolness of the MRT.  It was time for lunch and some much needed drinks.  We made a mistake and forgot to take water with us.  We did pick up one bottle of tea with lemon in Little India which did help one of us cool down.   Something colder, like beer, sounded way better.

 

We navigated our way with the help of the MRT map to Orchard Road and the familiar Wheelock Place, a huge multi-level shopping mall.   From there, we made our way to the Hard Rock Café about a block away from the mall.  There is a flight of stairs to climb with no sign of an elevator anywhere, but we made it.  By now, it was after 2pm, and the place was not crowded.   We ordered one Sapporo draft beer (the second one was free for happy hour) and one Coke Zero.  They never tasted so good.  Then we had a half-order of nachos with chicken and extra guacamole.  It was more than enough because we had to save some room for dessert.  This is the only HRC that serves mud pie, which we love.  So we shared one huge slice of the ice cream/pie before we checked out their shop on the way out.  Most all of the sizes we needed were gone, and they were not due for a new shipment until next week.  There were no city t's, but one of us did find a Messi t-shirt that happened to be half off.   The new style was arriving next week also.  Fine with us, the shirt is very different from their typical ones and still has the HRC logo on it. 

 

Time to move on, we back-tracked, taking note that on the corner by the Wheelock Place there was another Italian restaurant that sold pizza.  We may try that place next time we are in the area.  From the Orchard MRT we were able to take the NS red line all the way back to the Marina South Pier and the end of the line where our ship awaited.  We calculated that  we may have worked off a few calories from the mud pie hiking back to the terminal.  Wishful thinking…..

 

We were back on the ship after going through the xray security and the facial recognition on the way back.   They really are thorough here with their screening and we are not complaining as it is for all of our safety that they are so strict. 

 

One thing we were not happy about was the fact there was no progress fixing the toilet problem.   It still was not working, so we reported it again and they were apologetic and well aware of the situation.  But there was no estimated time of the return to normal.  As it turned out, the toilet did not flush until 4am the following morning.   No kidding.  That was almost 24 hours without it working.  Our new neighbor that just arrived today also had a problem like us, but their room flooded all the way under their bed.   What a way to start a cruise….

 

Dinner was not well-attended which is usually the case in these overnight ports.  We had Caesar salads, a bowl of chicken noodle  soup and a Shanghai meatball appetizer.   Mains were teriyaki chicken with rice, just the right amount.   We were almost too tired to have dessert, but one of us opted for the sliced banana.

 

There was a local show of Singapore entertainers with a traditional blend of music and modern artistry.    And the funny movie, Crazy Rich Asians was in the Wajang.  Quite appropriate because some of it was filmed right here in Singapore.  

 

Have to rest up for another day of exploring tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

451 Pictures

Report #82 Monday, March 23, 2026---Sea Day #2 Of 2---Enroute To Singapore, Singapore---Partly Cloudy---81 Degrees---72% Humidity---13.1mph Winds---Ships Speed--15 Knots------Casual Dress

A mandatory full passenger emergency drill was ordered for all guests at 10:30am.  We have gotten spoiled with the mini-drills in between the big one.   It is still easy, but time-consuming, but it can make a difference in a real emergency.    This would be the final full drill for the Captain, who will be leaving tomorrow.

 

One of us had a conflict with a doctor visit shortly before the drill.  Knowing that a 15 minute re-check may turn into an hour of waiting, I went right after breakfast to the medical Center to ask if my time had been delayed or cancelled.  As it turned out, the doctor was able to see me right then and there.  I am happy to report that the healing is going well and the antibiotics have worked.   And I can walk without pain, which is going to be a big help spending the next two days in Singapore.  Having the use of their great mass rapid transit, we should get along fine.

 

The drill announcements began while one of us was walking the promenade at 10:15am.    Erin, our cruise director came on the speakers with very detailed instructions about this drill.  But do people actually listen?  Apparently not, because many were already vying for spots on the promenade deck which was not allowed.  All of the guests are advised to go to their rooms and wait for further instructions.  There are always some folks that are dazed and confused, but eventually they make their way to their tenderboat numbers. 

 

One thing that was positive, was the fact we saw no one playing on their cell phones, which is not permitted.   On past cruises, we have heard the officers tell these folks to put those things away.  This is important and the drill may save their life one day.  With everyone present and not blocking the promenade doors, the Captain came on and recited the drill procedures.   By 11am the drill ended and Captain Rens bid farewell to everyone once again.  We always wait at the railing until 90% of the guests have left the scene before attempting to go back to our room. 

 

It was lemonade time at the Seaview Pool where Ramon appeared with two mugs of iced lemonade.  Nice kid……he does not like spending much time in the direct sun or the wind as it messes with his hair.  Honestly, he is really funny.  Then one of our long time friends came back to chat, telling us all about her time on a private tour she arranged in  Bali.  She had done her homework while at home this summer and located a driver that was willing to take her around all day for $40 USD.   Unbelievable, but she is a trusting soul and braved the tour on her own.  If she had talked another friend in going, it would have been the same price.  They made several beach stops, and places to shop and temples to see not too far from the ship.  And she was most happy to tip him another $10, which he very much appreciated. 

 

While at the marketplace yesterday, we inquired about a taxi ride to the nearest mall, and the price was $50 one way.  We knew that was too much, and we certainly did not need to go to a mall.  We were just price-shopping.  Anyway, it pays to do tour homework online and know ahead of time what things should cost.  Captain Rens came on with his last, but brief, talk and said there were 260 nautical miles to reach Singapore tomorrow morning.  He did not include the pilot pick-up time, or the docking time.  Or perhaps he still did not have that info.    The bow should be opened at 7am, and weather-permitting, there will be Singapore rolls, which are the best part of the sail in.  If we are lucky, Lelik will arrange to have some in the Pinnacle Grill at breakfast. 

 

We had work to do, so we headed back to the room, stopping for more visiting on the way.  Many of our buddies prefer the Lido for lunch and not the dining room as it is too early to eat at noontime for most.    We accomplished a lot as well as spending some pleasant time on the veranda.  It was also a good time to give "kudos" to all of the crew and staff that have been outstanding on this cruise so far.  We did that by going on the navigator app and writing the details to send into the right department.  We had a long list, but glad we sent it in because some of these nice folks are leaving tomorrow and we did not know it.  

 

There was an Indonesian crew show at 1:30pm and the World Stage was busting at the seams.  It is always a moving performance and the guests love it.  There used to be a Filipino show, but they don't do that one anymore that we know of.   Many of the Filipino crew that were in that show have left the cruise line. 

 

It was also a day of promotions in the shops, casino, and photo departments.   It will be the last chance for the guests that are leaving, and good for the rest of us. 

 

Dinnertime had some good things to choose from.  Starters were one bowl of Italian wedding soup, a Caesar salad, a crab salad and a steak taco with lime cilantro and salsa with avocados.   The taco looked so good, two of them would have made a perfect entrée.  When this appetizer is repeated, we might go that route.   Main tonight were sweet and sour breaded shrimp with rice pilaf.  Excellent and served piping hot.   Dessert was one plate of slice pineapple and apple pie, a recipe from Captain Rens – believe it or not.  All was good.  Full again…..

 

A show in the World Stage was a violinist named Jocelyn NG, playing an electric violin no less with classical and rock melodies.  Sure to please one and all.

 

We saw one suitcase in the hallway for tomorrow's debarking guests.  They had been putting them out all afternoon.   As for us, we will be looking forward to doing Singapore for the next two days.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

33 Pictures

Report #81 Sunday, March 22, 2026---Sea Day #1 Of 2---Enroute To Singapore, Singapore---Partly Cloudy With Rain Showers---82 Degrees---71% Humidity---11.4mph Winds---Ships Speed--18 Knots-----Formal Dress

It's Sunday, a day at sea, so it must be brunch in the dining room from 10am to 1pm.  Today it was titled Signature Bites Brunch.  We're not exactly sure what that is, but it reminds us of the shot glass tastings they served some years ago when they first introduced a Sunday Brunch.   We'll have to ask someone we know that attends these brunches. 

 

As for our group, we showed up at 8am as usual and heard many stories of the two days we all spent in Bali.  As for the weather, it was going to be a rainy day, off and on, and overcast.  The high of the day was 82 degrees with 71% humidity and 11.4 mph winds.  There was some swell, but not enough to mention it.   The ship's speed was 18 knots, but we slowed down by noontime to almost 15 knots. 

 

One job of the day was to pick up our passports in the atrium before 12pm.  We just missed it by minutes, so had to get them at the front desk.   Other folks were doing the same thing.  Hoping to buy some Singapore money, we learned they will not be selling it. 

 

There was a phone call from Jonah, our sweet front desk manager, who informed us our Singapore papers were completed, and she would be delivering them to us.  She brought a surprise visitor to meet us….. her 12 year old son, who looks exactly like her.   He is visiting here with his dad, who is in the beverage department and will stay onboard until Taiwan.   He brought us a snack package of dried mangoes, which was very sweet.  He also showed us the polite Filipino greeting of shaking hands then putting his head briefly on our hand.   It is a sign of respect.  Jonah and her husband have done a fine job of raising him despite working on the ships for months at a time.  Certainly, there are extended family members that help.   We couldn't thank her enough for her help and also meeting her pride and joy. 

 

Crossing the Equator once again, there was another ceremony in the Lido Pool at 2pm.  This was mainly for the guests that will be leaving in Singapore.  That will end the official segment of 41 days from Santiago to Singapore.  Normally, we only do one ceremony for the entire cruise, even if the Equator is crossed several times.  King Neptune is asked to forgive our lack of the maritime ceremony when it is skipped.  We all received the mini stickers of this crossing to put in the booklets we have yet to get. 

 

On Deck for a Cause, the charity 5k walk,  was held this morning.  However, it rained enough that it kept all but a few walkers outside.   The rest stayed in the atrium. 

 

There was a Singapore port talk (we'll catch it on TV) and a lecture by guest speaker Brian Beck about Singapore and more.  We kept busy with computer work, a promenade deck walk in the rain, and a visit to the Seaview Pool after the rain stopped.   We had not seen bar server Ramon for a few days and wanted to check up on him.  This is his first world cruise, and he is liking the different places he is seeing for the first time.  He was there with our lemonade mugs within minutes, sharing his short time he got off of the ship. 

 

Room service lunch was one salad, one sandwich, and one bowl of soup.  Then one of us got another nice haircut in the Spa at 6pm.  It was not crowded at that time which he prefers.   Then it was time for another formal dinner in the dining room.  This has been the pattern for these occasions when a segment ends.  At least we knew better than to wear a t-shirt, shorts, and a baseball cap which an elderly man was wearing sitting down on deck four below us.   Surprised he was let into the room, because we saw one similarly dressed man asked to leave last night on a casual night.  The funny thing was that this fellow was sitting very close to where the Captain and his wife were hosting a table of President's Club members, most of whom we knew.  Bet they noticed.

 

Anyway, we ordered one salad, and a bowl of tomato soup.  The entrees we chose were lamb chops, and the tenderloin without the grilled shrimp.    They were OK but not the quality of the Pinnacle Grill.   The dinners were served on a very hot plate, which helped immensely.  Desserts were one scoop of orange sorbet, and a slice of tres leches cake. 

 

We asked our head waiter how many folks were leaving in Singapore and he said about 170.  The same amount will be joining.  At 8:30pm, there was the Captain's Ball with live music and a gala dance with the Volendam's officers and crew.  It was to bid farewell to Captain Rens who will be leaving us in Singapore.  Captain Frank Van Der Hoeven will take over all the way back to Ft. Lauderdale.  We look forward to seeing both him and his lovely wife Alexandria.

 

No time changes, although an extra hour back would have been good.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

No Pictures

Report #80 Saturday, March 21, 2026--Benoa, Bali, Indonesia--Day #2 Of 2--Docked Starboard Side To Pier--All Aboard At 4:30pm--Cloudy With Showers--90 Degrees--70% Humidity--10mph Winds---Casual Dress

The days are rolling by quickly now that we are on day two in Benoa, Bali.   It is a Saturday morning, and we are expecting a lot more water and airplane activity as seen from our veranda today.    It seems hotter with temps in the low 90's, humidity up there at 70%, and the winds calm at 10mph.   A few clouds were drifting by, and the sun appeared off and on.  It may rain by this afternoon, and it would be welcomed.  We can say that because we stayed mostly on the ship today.

 

There were fewer guests at breakfast this morning in the Pinnacle Grill.   Most all of the tours were repeated from yesterday and we suspect that many guests were exhausted from the heat.  Our Seattle buddies had returned from their hospital stay in Darwin.    The good news was that all went well as they stayed in a hotel in Darwin after being released from the hospital.  HAL has a group of folks (the name escapes us) that deal with the passengers that leave the ship due to illness or whatever.  We had the same connection when one of us came down with Covid in 2022 while on the Nieuw Statendam.  At that time, we were on back-to-back Caribbean voyages and had to miss one and stay in a nice Covid hotel for 11 days.   We had a daily call from this service, and they took care of the details for our stay and return to the ship.   Our buddies had the same treatment and were grateful for it.  One good reason to consider buying medical insurance while traveling abroad.  We had been compensated for every dime back then. 

 

As always we stayed onboard until 11am, then headed off the ship.  This time, there were no officials to scan our QR codes.  Once was enough.  There were a lot more guests shopping today, which works better for everyone.  While the vendors are dealing with other shoppers, you have a chance to look closer at things you really don't need.  One t-shirt and a couple of hair clips were purchased by us.  Then most of our time in the marketplace was used chatting with many guests we know and some we remember but never really met back then.  Before we left the market, we caught a glimpse of Captain Rens pass by with his wife following in his tracks.    She must have boarded here in Bali for the last few days he has left before heading home.  

 

Returning onboard before noontime, we headed for the Seaview Pool for much-needed lemonade.  The deck fellows were busy hanging the flags for the sail away activities around 4:30pm where drink specials and live music were promised.   There have been far fewer sail away festivities on this world cruise compared to previous trips. 

 

Room service lunch with one salad and some chicken nuggets was enough while we worked online catching up with yesterday's exploits.  Captain Rens came on with his update mentioning that some people were still not back from their tours, so we would depart when they returned.  Later on we heard that the all day tours that traveled to the high mountains had problems with potholes in the narrow and twisty roads making the trip uncomfortable.  Then the traffic was so bad coming back, they were delayed even further.  Now that we think about it, the same thing happened on the last Mt. Batur excursion we did well over 10 years ago.  Eventually, the police boat cleared the jet-skiers and small craft out of our way, while the Captain blew the ship's horn many times because he likes doing that we suppose. 

 

It was time for dinner, and we ordered one bowl of soto ayam chicken coconut milk soup, a crab, shrimp and scallop cocktail, and a Indian appetizer called a samosa.  One of us ordered the cheese- stuffed manicotti and the other had Indonesian nasi kuning with a meatball, ayam kecap and fried banana fritters.  Pretty exotic meal for one of us.  A small bowl of rocky road ice cream and a plate of watermelon slices were the desserts. 

 

An instrumentalist, Liam Cooper, an Aussie piano-man headed the entertainment tonight.  Music of Elton John and Billy Joel were his top hits.

 

We are now heading towards one of the best countries of the trip in our humble opinion….and that is Singapore.   It will take two days at sea and 997 nautical miles to get there. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

256 Pictures

Report #79 Friday, March 20, 2026--Benoa, Bali, Indonesia--Day #1 Of 2--Docked Starboard Side To Pier--9am--Overnight--Cloudy With Showers--86 Degrees--91% Humidity--8.1mph Winds-----Casual Dress

Our arrival to the island of Bali was delayed due to the Hindu holiday of Nyepi, which ended at 6am this morning.  We were informed by our Indonesian maitre'd that life resumed on the island at 6:01am.   And that was when the pilot boarded the ship to bring it into Benoa Bay.  The ship was docked starboard close to 9am, so we went out on deck six forward to check the progress.   The gamelan band was set up under a protective tent, and the exotic Balinese dancers were ready to perform their mesmerizing dance.  They are always shoeless, even with the puddles of the recent rain shower on the dock.  Once you see the dance and hear the music, you realize "you are not in Kansas anymore". 

 

No doubt, it was going to be a hot one today with temperatures in the mid-eighties.   The high humidity was 91% with 8.1 mph winds.  There were broken clouds with a chance of light rain.   It may have rained high on the mountains, but not so much down in the town of Benoa. 

 

As always, some of the shore excursion groups went off of the ship first, and they were greeted by a few officers as well as Florin who was taking video of their exit.  We had all been given a QR code in one form or another to show the officials inside the terminal.  It was scanned and recorded.   The Indonesian visas had been processed and added to our electronic passports which remained onboard the ship.  The cost was $60 each and was applied to our shipboard account. We did have the option to obtain these visas ourselves, but we chose to use the shipboard credit we have.   In addition to these charges, was another tourism levy of $10 per person once we leave the ship.   If you chose not to get off of the ship, you would not be charged.   Thinking back to last year's cruise, we believe we did the same thing then.

 

There were eleven tours offered.  Bali arts and crafts was five hours and $100, and the kecak & fire dance was the same price for 3 hours.  Discover Seminyake & Tanah Lot was $110 for six hours.  Historic & scenic Bali  was nine hours and $120.  Mt. Batur & barong dance was also nine hours for $ 140.  Tenganan & water palace was eight hours and $150, however we heard it was cancelled due to flood damage.  East Bali heritage was eight and one half hours for $160, while the Royal Temple &  monkey forest at Tanah Lot was six hours and $170.    A VW safari 7 Mt. Batur was eight and one half hours for $200, and Munduk highlands was eight and one half hours for $200.  Uluwatu Tall Cliff was six and one half hours for $210.  Most of the longer excursions had a buffet lunch.   We have done most of these tours at least twice.  In addition, there was no complimentary shuttle provided to a mall of whatever.  We have been told that is due to the strong taxi union here.

 

We had been booked for one of the longer tours, a free perk that came with the room we booked.   However, we reconsidered knowing how many hours would be spent riding in a bus.  We changed our minds due to back problems.  The shore excursion folks said we could take another one of the approved tours on that list before the cruise ends.  In the past, they would not do that for us. 

 

We went off of the ship around 10:30am, walked through the terminal, had our QR codes scanned and then went out to their fairly new marketplace.  Today and tomorrow, many of the crew's families will be boarding for a special buffet dining room lunch and an ice cream party for the kids later.  The crew members were so proud to show off their families for those of us that had stayed onboard.  They also toured the ship and took many pictures on every deck.  We expected to see the young kids in the swimming pools, but they did not allow that we guess. 

 

We inspected every stall in the market as well as the old-style tables under tents in the back.  We did come out with two pull over dresses and one silky top along with a set of koozies.  We bet just about every lady will be wearing one of these creations in the following evenings.   The prices were reasonable if you were willing to bargain.   We continued back onboard, passing through xray in the terminal, then went to the Seaview Pool for some much-needed lemonade.   It was SO hot back there, we only stayed for a short time.

 

We always make our way to the front elevator passing through the Lido pool area.  Today many guests were eating lunch, so we stopped to chat with friends.  That turned into almost two hours of catching up before we headed back to our room.  We ordered a light room service lunch, then one of us had a doctor appointment at 4:15pm.  An infected big toe was the problem, and a series of antibiotics should take care of it.  Hopefully soon, since Singapore is coming up and we always do a lot of walking there as well as MRT riding.  

 

Being docked starboard turned out to be a plus for those of us on the port side.   We had the view of Benoa Bay with so much activity, it amused us for the rest of the day.   Large jets flew overhead every 5 to 15 minutes…..no kidding.   There were jet-skiers,  banana boat rides, ferries, antiquated fishing boats, and later dinner cruises.    During the afternoon and at sunset, the minarets went off with the singing which could be heard everywhere.  Of course, we stayed in our cool room and worked on yesterday's photos and report. 

 

We enjoyed another colorful sunset before heading off for dinner.  It was disappointing to find there was no tomato soup as promised on the TV menu. So chicken noodle soup was substituted.  Other tasty appetizers were a crab spring roll and a tenderloin pickled papaya salad.  Mains were one prime rib meal, enough for three people.  Bami goreng was another Indonesian favorite enjoyed by one of us.  Desserts were one sliced banana and one Sacher torte.  We asked Dwi, our waiter, about today's buffet for the visiting families.   He said 350 attended the lunch today and tomorrow there will be about 100.  The staff had decorated the lower dining room with flags and it looked quite festive. 

 

Showtime featured a Balinese group performing The Spirit of Bali.  They had graceful dancers and musicians that "wowed" the guests by showing off the heritage and culture of their country.  We have seen it several times, and enjoyed it immensely. 

 

The ship stayed overnight for another full day in port tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann  

 

302 Pictures

Report #78 Thursday, March 19, 2026---Slawi Bay, Komodo Island, Indonesia---Anchored Using Ships Tenders---7am--1:30pm---Cloudy With Sun---83 Degrees--78% Humidity---12.9mph Winds---Casual Dress

The start of our day came at 4:50am when the alarm notice went off throughout the entire ship for a fire on deck six.  Holy cow….this was not a drill.   For some unknown reason, we were already awake and could hardly believe what we were hearing.   Located midship, the cabins in that area on both decks six and seven were evacuated.  Deck five was also included but that was mostly shops that were closed for the evening.  The staging area was the deck six elevator lobby which is down the hall from us.  Luckily, we are more forward and did not have to leave our room.   Friends told us later in the day that they had loud knocking on their doors and they had to put on robes or whatever and head for the Lido.  Smoke was spreading rapidly and it wasn't long before we could smell it.  Electrical for sure,  the Captain came on the speakers several times to explain it was an element in a dishwasher on deck six that malfunctioned.  Other friends of ours on deck three went out on the promenade deck to see black smoke billowing from above.   Scary for sure, the crew went into their practiced drill mode and contained the fire quickly.   Good thing for those frequent drills they have.  The evacuees were allowed back to their rooms by 5:20am, with the exception of the deck six folks who had to wait for the hoses to be cleared out in the elevator lobby and hallway.  We doubt the hoses were used with water, since an electrical fire would be put out with chemicals instead. Captain Rens could not apologize more than he did from the beginning to the end of this event.  Truly one that we hope never to experience again.  Come to think of it, this same type of fire happened when Captain Mercer was onboard, only it was 3am and was due to a defective mini- refrigerator in someone's cabin.  Anyway, the smell of the smoke lingered all day and into the following morning.  On an amusing note, Captain Rens paid a visit to the folks held in the Lido and asked if there were volunteers to wash dishes this morning.  The same request was made to the guests in the World Stage waiting for their tours to commence.  Sort of lightened up the event somewhat.

 

We have entered a new country which is Indonesia and the port of call for today is Slawi Bay, Komodo Island.  And in our humble opinion, there is no other like it in the world.  Maybe that is because it is home to the world's largest and most lethal lizards named appropriately Komodo dragons.  But more about that later.

 

The population of Indonesia is 255 million people (or more) that live on 8,000 of the 17,000 islands in the archipelago.  And it is the fourth largest population in the world. The capital is Jakarta on the island of Java, and the language is Bahasa Indonesian.  There are over 300 dialects of this language.  Many of those locals who work in the travel industry also speak English.   This country is spread across 5000 kilometers on and around the Equator, and the reason for the hot and sultry weather almost year-round.   It is a land of many cultures, peoples, animals, religions, customs, artwork, plants and foods.    Especially the foods. 

 

And if we have not mentioned it already, we happen to be here close to their major Hindu festival called Nyepi.  It is their celebration of the new year which has a definite impact on two days of our visit.  On March 18^th, this holiday begins with a night and day of very noisy celebrations that include scary mask-wearing and noisy activities.  It is thought to scare away the bad demons.  The following day is called the Silent Day, where everything stops.  There is no electricity, cooking fires, school or work allowed. No talking.  No one is allowed outside at all, not even guests staying in the resort areas.  The hotels will have power, we understand.  The whole point is to trick the demons that anyone lives there.  Like hiding.  At 6am on March 20^th life resumes as usual. 

 

This holiday impacted us for the arrival to Bali on March 20^th by delaying our docking time by one hour or so.   All of tours had to be adjusted, which was not a huge problem since the ship will be overnighting there. 

 

One of the few places we stop on a world voyage, Komodo Island is one that no one is allowed off of the ship unless you book a HAL tour or have proof of an independent excursion.  This is a rule of the Indonesian Central Government and the National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.    A detailed letter was sent to everyone well ahead of time so we all understood more about this tour.  It came with a strong warning regarding the tender pier access with non-ADA compliant stairs.  What they have is a narrow steep flight of cement stairs to reach the ground level.   It can vary depending on the tide.  The heat and hydration advisory was spelled out in plain English stressing the need for adequate hydration.  They recommended bringing water, wear a hat, and lightweight clothing.  And if we felt signs of heat exhaustion, notify your guide immediately.  Well, do you think everyone read this letter?   This is one place we know from experience that if you are in doubt of your abilities, it is a place to stay onboard the ship. 

 

With all that said, this is the first time in all the visits we have made, that we saw so many people needing wheelchairs to be taken back to the tender landing.   The tours were no longer than 2 to 3 hours if you chose to see the dragons.  One excursion did a short version of the dragons, then took the guests to a nearby island with a pink sand beach for snorkeling.   At least these folks cooled off in the warm waters. 

 

Before we left the ship, we did get some pictures of several Timor deer laying on the sandy beach.  We have seen this on prior stops and figured the deer will stay out in an open area so they can see dragons coming their way.  And yes, these deer are on the dragon's menu.  One nasty bite will infect the deer, making it sick, then the dragons dine when the animal is incapacitated.  Horrible, but that is nature at work.  Even without the deer present, we have spotted dragons on these same beaches from the ship.  Nice to have a good camera that can focus that far away.  

 

Our excursion began by meeting in the World Stage at 7:45am.   By the time our group was called, tendered to shore, and joined another group with our guides, it was 8:30am.   By then, the temperature was 83 degrees, humidity was 78%, and the winds were about 13mph.  The skies were cloudy, but when the sun came through it was darned HOT.  We joined two groups of #13 "sticky people", of which we were part of today.    We had one guide, one park ranger and one guy with a long-forked stick to keep the dragons away from everyone.   We pretty much know this tour by heart, but it is a good chance to take some photos of these lethal monsters.  The first thing the guide offered besides some simple information, were bottles of water.  Some took them, some did not. 

 

The walk began slowly to put some distance to the tour ahead of us.  There must have been several groups for this shorter tour, so they spread us out as much as they could.  We learned about the dragons and the trees where the young ones climb when they hatch.  There were a few birds we heard then saw flying into the palm trees.  Our guide did not know what they were.   From the noise they made, they were obviously the Sulphur-rested cockatoos and a few green doves perhaps.  Guess he wasn't into the birding aspect.   The highlight of this walk was a pond-like pit where the dragons congregate or are attracted there for the tourist to see.  We saw the largest number of lizards we have ever seen.  There were six large males, one may have been a female, and one younger one.    The males can weigh up to 200 pounds, while the females are about 75 pounds.    The young one was brave because males tend to kill them from hatchlings to mid-size.  They spend most of their time high in the trees for safety.  

 

Of course, this is the most photographed spot in the park area with about 60 to 80 people trying to get the best photos.   The guides will take cell phone pictures for the guests who want to pose behind the dragons, giving the impression of being much closer than you are.   All it takes is one person in your group to start the picture line, giving the rest of us time to move around and see more of the dragons.  At one point, a large dragon came out of the low-growth forest and tackled another male.  First time ever we saw a fight in progress.  Most times these lizards are motionless, but not so today.   The attacker left the scene as fast as he appeared.  It was time for us to move along.

 

Yesterday one of our favorite beverage servers asked us if it was true that the dragons prefer eating white people.  No we had not heard that before, but he said he was told people taste like chicken.   Jokingly, we said no, we think people tend to taste like pork.   We all got a laugh out of that one. 

 

From experience, we knew we would not see any more dragons as we made a full circle to the beginning of the hike.  About halfway into the walk, one of elderly ladies began to feel faint and overheated.  She had to sit with one of the guides and drink water.  They had no choice but to continue with our group and get us out of the sun.  Of course, they had cell phones and called for a wheelchair.  By the time they came with the wheelchair, she had recovered enough to continue with the group.  However, another older lady plopped in the chair and had to be wheeled back through the sandy trail.  It took three or more local guys to push her.   Sure hoped she tipped them.

 

We ended the hike near an dilatated temple and a restroom where most everyone stopped.  There was another dragon on the sandy bank where one of the guides tried to draw a group of people to take pictures.   We have to add there is a large long green-tented area with souvenir tables before you exit the trail.  The guides tried to entice people to go to their tables where the wife and kids were selling things from t-shirts to wood carvings, magnets, some costume jewelry, and carved dragons of all sizes.    Since we have most of the items they were hawking, we did not buy anything.  The place was closed up so tight, we had a fine time trying to get back out of it.  Like being trapped. 

 

There were no more photos to be taken, so we headed back to the pier.  Last year, we had bought a nice-looking pearl drop pendant, not real, but acceptable.  The only place we saw them was where the tenders were pulling alongside.   Today we found four more in various colors and bought them for a good price.  The chains were nice as well.  Happy with our day, we were equally happy to get back onboard in the air-conditioning.   It was only 11am, when we got back to our room, but it felt like we had been up all day.   But then, we had been up a long time with that unexpected fire event.  

 

Captain Rens came on the speakers at 1:50pm after the all aboard time of 1:30pm.  We had expected the usual up-to-date info, but it wasn't.  In fact, he sounded quite angry and for good reason.  There were some of the local kids in the longboats begging for money from the passengers who must have been on the promenade deck.   Obviously, people were tossing stuff to these kids and the Captain demanded them to stop….it was dangerous and illegal.  Later he came on with the usual info telling us we had 275 nautical miles to reach the island of Bali tomorrow.   He would open the bow for an 8am sail into the harbor, weather-permitting.

 

Leaving the area of Komodo Island, there was an exciting display of jumping dolphins.  One of us missed it while in the bathroom.  Within minutes they were left in the turbulence of the ship's wake.  However, the photographer among us was quick and caught them in action.  Luck of the draw and being out on the veranda at the right time worked today.

 

Working on photos and reports kept us busy the rest of the afternoon. We were graced with another nice sunset before heading for dinner.   Tonight's meal was basically Indonesian with some good appetizers of soup and pork sate.  Both of us had a different type of chicken dinner with rice pilaf and some veggies.  Dessert was watermelon slices and a cake of some kind. 

 

The show was the Grand World Voyage Band with Shine On – a Pink Floyd Experience.  We are not even sure who Pink Floyd is……..

 

Looking forward to another visit to Bali, where we will stay overnight.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #77 Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Sea Day #2 Of 2----Enroute To Slawi Bay, Komodo Island, Indonesia---- Partly Sunny--82 Degrees--77% Humidity--10mph Winds---Ship Speed--12 Knots-----Casual Dress

Today was an eventful one.  It was breakfast as usual, then we were invited to another Mariner Recognition Event in the World Stage deck four.   The doors to the lounge on the port side were for the President's Club folks to enter at 10:15am.   However, when we arrived 5 minutes early, this line was way too long and it appeared was mixed with some other guests.  Eventually the doors opened and we were all greeted by some of the officers including Florin and Metka.  Although we don't have assigned seats,  it is taken for granted that the four chairs in the front are for the longest day members. So we took two of those chairs next to friends with high days too.  We all agreed that we do not remember having these ceremonies at every major segment.  

 

Today's show began with a lovely behind the scenes worker from the front desk.  She works the night shift, so most of us have not seen her.  She sang a song for us, then a duo of bar staffers sang two songs for us.  The guitar man sure looked familiar, and when we heard his name, we knew it had to be Ramon, or very friendly Seaview Pool server.  They had the crowd in their hands when they sang Sweet Caroline and had everyone join in the singing.  We will have to compliment him later today.

 

There were not a large number of medallions handed out – the most being bronze.  And as usual, there were some hijinks with Captain Rens and Florin when they awarded the medals.  All in good fun we suppose, but when it came to announcing the President Club members, they may have tipped the scales with lifting our friend Moon up instead of kneeling beside her.  No one was more surprised than she was. 

 

Following this was the dancing and singing of the Cast onboard.  They did an energetic dance that earned them a round of applause.  We were slightly disappointed that Josh, the travel director, did not us with a song.  Maybe next time.

 

Captain Rens thanked his crew, then had many of them come onstage to take a bow.   They always earn a standing ovation.  The affair ended at noontime where most of the folks made their way to the lower dining room for an exclusive Mariner Lunch.   We thanked Kumar and informed him we were not attending lunch we just ate breakfast. 

 

We made our way to the Seaview Pool for some sun and fresh air and ice-cold lemonade.    Guess who was back?  Yep, Ramon who we congratulated for having the nerves of steel to perform with his colleague on the big stage.    Brought an instant smile to his face for sure.  Something tells us he and his buddy are regulars at their karaoke place on the ship. 

 

Captain Rens came on after 12pm and gave the details of the day.  The temperature was 82 degrees, the humidity was 77%, and the winds were 10.5 mph.  Doing a speed of 14 knots will get us to Komodo Island with another 224 nautical miles to go. 

 

We had a small room service lunch with one bowl of soup and sliders.  Then another party popped up in the Crow's Nest at 4:30pm with our travel agent hosts.   Our group is fairly small, so we all sat in smaller groups enjoying a drink or two.  Some appetizers were served like pot stickers, little spring rolls, and two types of cheese on crackers.  Our hosts even have a raffle drawing where they gave away token prizes.  There is only one problem in that venue, and that is noise.  The acoustics are bad for crowds.  And the more they drink the louder they got.  We didn't notice the difference until some guests got up to leave for dinner at 5pm and we could hear much better. 

 

There was somewhat of a sunset tonight.  Although not spectacular, it was nice and we did get some photos.  

 

Dinner for us was in the Pinnacle at 8pm.  It has been our experience that the place is only half full by that time, but tonight that was not the case.   The diners that had taken our table had not left yet, so we had to take a small table for two.  Our dinners consisted of wedge salads with 2 slices of candied bacon on the same plate.  One of us had the savory lamb chops and the other had the 8-ounce filet mignon, cooked perfectly.  This time we asked for small baked potatoes, and they served them with the toppings.  Dessert was Baked Alaska but cut in half.  They still came out looking huge.  Most of the dessert was meringue, which we scrape away and go for the cake and ice cream.    A couple of macaroons and we were done for the evening.

 

Tomorrow we actually have a tour in Komodo Island.   There is no bus involved and the only way to see the dragons is by booking an excursion.  Those who arranged independent tours had to show proof or else they would not be allowed off the ship.  So at 8am, we will be on the way to board the tender to walk through Komodo national Park to search for the fearsome dragons and also a see a wealth of birds.   That might be stretching it because we never see many birds….it is always too hot.

 

There was a show tonight with a singer Nyree Huyser with songs from the stage and screen.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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