Report #27 Monday, January 26, 2026----Sea Day #2 Of 2----Enroute To Stanley, Falkland Islands----Cloudy With Sea Haze----50 Degrees----24mph Winds----6' Swell----Rough----80% Humidity-----Casual Dress

Yesterday we got a message from the Volendam Management Team saying they were pleased to inform all of us that the guest lecturers would be able to be viewed on our stateroom TV's.  We have been asking for that for several years now and are very pleased that they are able to do it.  In the old days, the lectures were always televised.   Then they stopped doing it.  Not everyone is able to make it to the talks for several reasons like conflicting activities.  For us, we try to avoid crowds.  There was one exception to the talks being shown in our rooms and that was if the presenters objected to it.   The port talks will be repeated on the TV as well.  We do hope they resolved the problem with no sound. 

 

Once again, what a difference a day makes.   Yesterday was warm and mostly sunny, but today, it was overcast and decidedly cooler.  As the day advanced, the conditions worsened with a cold wind, some light rain, and rolling seas.   During his noon talk, Captain Rens said we had 288 nautical miles to reach the Falklands tomorrow at a speed of 16.5 knots.  At noon, the temperature was 59 degrees, but at 2pm, it was down to 50 degrees.   The humidity was 98% with 24.5 mph winds, causing some rocking and rolling with 5 foot or better swells.  Then the Captain added that tomorrow was looking good, except by the afternoon, the winds would pick up.   That could make tendering very dangerous.  He did add that while going ashore to please accept the help of the crew getting in and out of the tenderboats.   By dinnertime, we were feeling the motion of the ocean big time.

 

We did spend a short time at the Sea View pool, but with mugs of hot chocolate instead of ice water.   There were very few people back there, mostly the dedicated smokers on the starboard side.  Speaking of smoking, we did get a notice asking us to be most careful with anything that can blow overboard while in Antarctica.   And smoking was only allowed at the Sea View pool.   If that isn't a reminder about the weather getting worse, we don't what is.  

 

There were several talks on Antarctica with the Expedition Team onboard now.  There was the IAATO briefing and navigation overview held in the World Stage this morning.   Hopefully this will show up on our TV this evening. 

 

Today must have been Australia Day with a special Aussie tea and an Australian pub lunch in the Pinnacle Grill (charges applied).   We passed by a sheet cake that was not real in the Lido with a note next to it saying Do Not Touch.  It had the Australian flag on the top.  

 

We spent the rest of the day with the fan blowing in our room while we worked on pictures and reports.   Kumar called and said the workers had been in our room when we went to dinner last night and resolved the leak.  We shall see……..

 

Dinner was a rocking and rolling event.  So glad we had our special dinner last night.  Some of our buddies were in the King's Room for the second round, a total repeat of last night's cuisine and entertainment from the officers.  Their evening wrapped up around the same time as ours did….close to 9pm. 

 

We ordered one shrimp cocktail and another bowl of chicken noodle soup.  Mains were one sweet and sour chicken and a smoked brisket plate with mashed potatoes and a very tasty BBQ sauce.  Both were excellent, but we had no room for dessert.  Just as well, as we polished off the rest of my little birthday mousse cake for lunch.  

 

A pianist by the name of Tomono Kawamura was the entertainer this evening  in the World Stage.   No doubt she was good.

 

We are estimating a 50/50 chance of making it to the Falklands tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

No Pictures

Report #26 Sunday, January 25, 2026---Sea Day #1 Of 2----Enroute To Stanley, Falkland Islands---Overcast Skies---92% Humidity---17.4mph---63 Degrees-----Casual Dress

So far, we have been looking for a day at sea with nothing to do.  There have been a few of those, but not enough.   Today was not one of those lazy days.  A few days ago, we all got a notice concerning a FULL passenger emergency muster drill.  This is required on all cruises every 30 days.  Perhaps arriving to Antarctica also has something to do with it.   The directions as to how to re-act and proceed were spelled out in the notice.  However, it was surprising how many people did just the opposite of what was asked of them.  

 

For starters, the crew did not want anyone on the promenade deck prior to the drill.  We were requested to stay inside and only proceed to the muster stations when instructed to do so.  What did some passengers do?   They went to the outside deck and proceeded to sit in the lounges which were being propped up along the back wall.  The rest of us had to use the stairs to get to deck three, unless we absolutely needed the elevators.    All we needed were our room keys to be scanned by our boat commanders. 

 

Then we waited and waited.  Our group for boat station # 6 were all present, however, 38 guests were missing.  We wondered how this drill worked with the Sunday Brunch, which began at 10am?   Maybe people had just gotten their food, then had to leave it.  Bad timing….. At the very least, we will not have to do this full drill for another month.

 

It was breakfast as usual for us and many others in the Pinnacle Grill.  After the drill, we went to the Seaview pool to catch some sun as the weather was simply beautiful.   It was warm, but not too warm with a nice breeze.  As we head further south, we expect to feel the coolness of the Antarctic breeze, especially in the Falkland's.  We did notice a kind of foggy haze on the horizon which contributed to the higher humidity.   There were a few dedicated sunbathers back there, but no one in the pool.  Salvador, the deck waiter, knows we like ice water, and he was there soon after we sat down.  

 

We kept busy catching up with photos and our exploits of the last two ports.   We had salads and split mini burgers along with half of our birthday dessert from last night. 

 

A couple of days ago, we had an invite from the Captain and Hotel Manager to a special dinner in the King's Room this evening.  It was an exclusive event for 20 of the President's Club members and about 7 of the officers.  The suggested attire was "dressy".   Pre-dinner drinks were in the back end of the Explorer's Lounge where we sat with Amy and the environmental officer for 45 minutes.  Nice canapies were passed around.  Then we were summoned to the King's Room at 6pm, where we were seated around the massive table in there.   Name tags were at each place setting, which happened to be plateware from Versace.  Very elegant.  As luck had it, one of us was placed next to Captain Rens.  He had many lively stories to share with all of us.  One such story was about a visit to Antarctica where the ship approached one gigantic iceberg.  By the time they reached it, fog had covered the entire berg.  The bow had been opened for those who wished to see this monster up close and personal.  Suddenly the giant calved, sending ice all over the bow deck.  The Captain and Florin had photos of this event on their cell phones.  Now if we heard this correctly, Captain Rens arranged to have the song from Titanic playing at the same time.  Must have been a memorable moment, maybe a bit over the top for some folks at the time.   He vowed to have a repeat performance when we reach that area.  Time will tell……

 

The menu had fancy courses beginning with foie gras, followed by a sunchoke soup, then poached lobster.  One of us does not like lobster, so prawns were substituted even though I said I did not need a substitute.  If Tina had been here, she would have taken the liberty to create a vegetarian course in place of the lobster.  A palate cleanser was the next course of frozen rosewater and raspberry snow.  The main entree was a blackened beef tenderloin with slivers of carrots and asparagus with a dollop of mashed potatoes.  Each course was served with wine, which we did not have by choice.  At one point, the Captain forcefully put down his red wine glass and the stem shattered.  We jokingly told him this dinner was a murder mystery and he was the victim.  With that, he got up and switched jackets with the staff Captain saying he could take over the ship.  Later in the evening, we realized some of the "acts" were pre-rehearsed. 

 

For the wine aficionados among us, here is the list.  Nicolas Feuillatte champagne began with the first course, followed by Julia's Dazzle Rose Walla-Walla Washington.  Pascal Jolivet Sancerre from France was served with the lobster, then Long Shadow Sequel Syrah also from Washington went with the tenderloin.  A Nutty Irishman finished the ample meal along with sweet dessert.

 

Eventually, dessert was served which was called a chocolate parfait of pear, coconut streusel and hazelnut ice cream.  A small glass of Kahlua, Bailey's, and Frangelico was served with the dessert.   As if this wasn't enough, a tray of chocolate sweets were brought for everyone.   The party broke up by 8:45pm with the parade of chefs and cooks taking a bow.  Long evening, but good food.

 

And we know this story is getting old, but the leak in our floor had re-appeared before we left for dinner.  Will this never end?   We reported it our room steward and also informed Florin.  When we returned from dinner, the dreaded fan was in place and blowing a gale.  The saga goes on……

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report # 25 Saturday, January 24, 2026---Montevideo, Uruguay---Docked Starboard Side To Pier--8am-4:30pm--Sunny With A Few Clouds---80 Degrees--18 Knot Winds---Casual Dress

It happened to be a special day for one of us – another birthday has rolled around.  The first reminder of that were the four colorful balloons taped on the outside of our door this morning.  There was a note saying Happy Birthday from the front desk folks.  We went to breakfast as usual, only to be greeted by Kumar wishing me a Happy Birthday after we finished our meal.    Then out of the blue, every one of the front desk personnel came out to sing for me.  Among the group was Manager Jonah, who always remembers these occasions.   So much for wanting to keep the day quiet.

 

The port of call for today was Montevideo, Uruguay, the capital of the country.  This will be our second stop in Uruguay, after visiting Punta Del Este a few days ago.  Montevideo is famous for their Carnaval parades which are held in early February.  We will just miss it by a few weeks.  It is said to be electrifying with rhythms of Afro/Uruguayan drumming.  

 

We were not alone here with the Sapphire Princess docked directly across from the Volendam.  This ship was built in 2004 and is close to 116 gross tons.  It holds up to 3214 passenger with a crew of 1100.  Needless to say, there will be a whole lot of guests in and out of town today. 

 

Once cleared, the shore excursions groups went off first we suspect.  There were one dozen tours today with three of them 3 to 4 hours in duration.   The first one was easy Montevideo for $80,   an old town walk for $90, and the city by bike for $100.   Tango at Baer Fun Fun? was 4 hours and $100 and scenic sites and Candombe rhythms for 3 hours and $110.  Highlites and Uru Carnival was 4  hours for $120 while traditional tasting and walk to street food stands was 4 hours and $120.  A drive to Colonia del Sacramento was 8 hours and $170 with lunch, and the ultimate beach experience was 8 hours for $190 with lunch.  The last three tours were all about the wine with lunch with 6 to 7 hours and $199 to $260.

 

We left the ship around 10am during another loud crew drill.  Following the green-painted path from the ship, we exited through the port terminal gate and directly into town.  There was no terminal building here that we could see.  Crossing the waterfront street, we were handed a much better city map with the streets well-marked as well as the highlights.  It was uphill all the way, but a gentle slope.

 

Considering that the Princess ship was here, we were surprised to see the pedestrian avenues were not crowded.  Of course, there were 12 excursions for just our ship, so passengers will come into the city later in the day we suspect.  We passed a series of small cafes and restaurants that had greeters trying to entice us to dine and drink there.  Too early, maybe later.  This was the start of the sidewalk vendors too.  They had table after table of typical souvenirs but very few leather things.  We remember seeing a lot more of the fancy handbags and backpacks six years ago.  Now we saw mostly caps, magnets, and some loose gemstones.  Not a lot of clothing, they did sell affordable woven jewelry.  And many of the shops along the way were still closed.   Once again, this society follows the later times for meals and entertainment.

 

We remembered to turn left on Sarandi Street, which led to one of the first plazas, Plaza Zabala.  This medium-sized square was surrounded with gardens,  a few cafes, and a quiet peaceful escape to the vendor areas.    The dried-looking grass was being watered by hand, since we are in the middle of their summertime.    From the flow of the hose, we figured the young lady will be there all day to cover this square.  Locals were there walking their dogs as well. 

 

Time to continue to the next square by the name of Plaza Constitution, which is surrounded by many historic landmarks, fountains, and monuments.  McDonald's is also located here along with a dozen local restaurants or cafeterias with Uruguayan cuisine.  But the best part of this square has to be the Saturday morning flea market where old treasures are sold.   Back in 2020, we bought 2 of the neatest jewelry sets that were one-of-a-kind antique creations.  Unfortunately, some of the pieces were lost when our shipped luggage went astray back in 2023.  So today was a chance to find a possible replacement, and guess what?  We did, but this time it was a lapis lazuli necklace and matching bracelet.  The real deal at a very affordable price, we also were able to match the set with earrings at a different stall.  Sure made my day even more special.   Better leave before we find more irresistible treasures.   

 

Leaving this plaza, we began to see many more museums and church towers.   This has to be close to the center of the ancient fortified Old City of Montevideo.  Passing through one of the preserved portals of that wall, we entered Plaza Independencia, a plaza honoring Uruguay's independence.  It was the most spacious plaza so far with a statue of General Artigas sitting on a magnificent horse.  We saw several tour groups either walking here like us, or on the bike tour.  Many locals were out and about with their dogs as well as kids.  We happened to chat for a while with a young couple who spoke good English.  They were walking the cutest little dog, who happened to like our shoes.  We learned she was a 4-month-old puppy who was gathering a lot of attention.  The couple asked where we were from and loved hearing about California.   More folks walking by stopped to pet the dog, so we said our goodbyes and continued on our way.  

 

There was an impressive church directly across from the ancient portal, but when we attempted to go inside, we were stopped due to a mass just beginning at high noon.    So we continued back-tracking, checking out the tables on our way back to the beginning.  On the corner, we went inside the Sea Port Market, which was in full gear for the lunch crowd.   This historic market has cafes that serve asado (beef) dishes and sides of veggies.  Some of the restaurants were simply counters with BBQ pits grilling the various meats.  Stores and shops were interspersed in between the eateries.  Way too hot and crowded, we ducked out of there in a hurry.

 

We never did find a suitable place for lunch, so we went back to the ship arriving by 2pm.  Just as we were going through the ship's xray, Jonah arrived giving me a birthday hug.  By doing that, prompted the security group to break out with singing Happy Birthday to me.   Almost embarrassing, we proceeded to the elevator hoping not many people witnessed that. 

 

We had a room service lunch, but very light since we had reservations for a Pinnacle Grill dinner.   

 

The Captain gave his talk after 4:30pm and remarked that the last of the needed stores for the ship had to be loaded.  There will be no more supplies delivered until after we leave Antarctica.  We  have 1110 nautical miles to reach The Falklands in a couple of days.   We will have river pilots sailing out into the estuary of the river, then regular pilots entering the South Atlantic Ocean.  The fresh winds were 18 knots with temps in the mid 70's.  He expected higher winds, lower temps, and partly sunny and partly cloudy skies tomorrow. 

 

Dinner at the Pinnacle Grill found us almost the last of the customers for the day at 8pm.  The food and service were wonderful as always.   We both had the wedge salads with one shared appetizer of a sliced beef taco.   One of us had the lamb and the other the smallest steak.  We shared the gigantic baked potato but could only eat half of it.  We passed on dessert, but lo and behold, a mousse-like cake appeared with the waiters and manager singing Happy Birthday.  What a day it had been.  By the way, we took the dessert back to our room and slipped it in the refrigerator. 

 

Looking forward to two lazy days at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

381 Pictures

Report # 24 Friday, January 23, 2026---Buenos Aires, Argentina----Docked Starboard To Pier---8am-5:30pm---Clear And Sunny--82 Degrees---20 knot Winds---58% Humidity----Casual Dress

Argentina is our country to visit today.  It is one with a population of 46 million (2025) people that speak Spanish.  And the capital is Buenos Aires, our port of call for the day.   Most times, we spend two full days here, but not this time. 

 

When you think of the tango, gauchos, Patagonia, and the Andes, Argentina comes to mind.  It is a traveler's dream.  It is also home to Iguazu Falls, massive glaciers, the Pantanal, deserts, forests and salt flats.  It is also home to wildlife such as penguins, flamingoes, and capybaras. 

 

Food favorites in this part of the world include Argentinian beef grilled with a salty outer layer and almost rare smokey middle.  They specialize in dulce de leche or a caramel sauce.  It goes really well over helado, or their version of rich creamy ice cream.   You will find Italian cuisine is popular with pasta and pizza.  Sounds good to us.  They drink a concoction called mate, a bitter grassy tea, which has become like a social bonding drink.   We have spotted mostly the elderly men drinking this liquid out of a small cup with a short straw.    Wines are abundant due to the excellent growing conditions. 

 

There were many tours offered today starting with the least expensive which was the highlights of Buenos Aires for 3 ½ hours for $65.   Next was the spirit of Buenos Aires waterways for 4 ½ hours for $80.  An afternoon tango show was 3 ½ hours for $86 with drinks, then wine tasting for 4 hours and $110.  Highlights of the city and Café Tortoni was 5 ½ hours for $120 with a snack, while a culinary walk was 5 hours and $160 where there was 3 visits to restaurants.  Gaucho life on the pampas was 8 ½ hours with a BBQ lunch for $180 (we have done this one), and highlights with a tango dance and lunch topped off at $190 for 8 ½ hours.   Tied for the highest spot was horseback riding on the pampas for 8 ½ hours for $190 and a polo pony ride and show for the same price and 9 hours.   

 

We did what the ship offered and that was take a shuttle to the port gate (mandatory), then board another bus outside the terminal building which went to Plaza San Martin, a short ride from the terminal.  Plenty of buses were used during the day, and we had no wait to get to the Plaza.  For some unknown reason, the ship never provided maps of the city last night like they always do.  So this morning we asked at the front desk, and they had printed some from Google we think.  But they were only handed to those of us that had asked for one.  It was detailed, but impossible to read street names without using a very good magnifying glass. 

 

At breakfast, we asked some friends that had finally found the port talk that included three ports in one.  It must have appeared on our TV's late yesterday, and we heard that the Argentina talk had lost sound.  All our friends could get was closed captioning.  They sure are having some trouble in that department, so we do hope that it improves.    Wish we would have thought to mention that to the new hotel manager, Florin, who boarded the ship in Rio a few days ago.  He paid us a visit before we ordered dinner last evening and re-introduced himself.  We both remembered having him as a food and beverage manager under Henk Mensink several years ago.    Most of his concerns were about the problems we have experienced with our room leaks and broken exhaust fan.  Glenn must have updated him on all of the guests with problems like us.   We assured him that so far everything had been repaired, and we were happy that we did not have to move rooms.   Anyway, he will be on for the remainder of this grand world cruise and  beyond to the end of May.  

 

Located up the Rio De La Plata, the Volendam docked starboard to the Buenos Aires pier.  The river water was quite muddy, reminding us of the Amazon River.  There was a man overboard drill about 9:30am, and we left the ship shortly after it began.  And besides, the deck crew had come through our verandas on deck six and hosed everything down, leaving puddles that would last all day.  We  may have to ask our room stewards for a squeegee to push the water into the gutter.  

 

We found the shuttle buses, three of them in fact, but we missed one because we stopped to chat with the Staff Captain, Rakesh, who has been most friendly ever since we boarded.  He told us all about the officers, including Captain Rens, enjoying the savory BBQ meats of Rio and Uruguay.  He admitted it took going without a couple of meals to do justice to the treat.  We know since we have been there and done that, but years ago when we were much younger and able to handle copious meals like that.  Not so much these days.

 

Once we arrived to the cruise terminal, we recognized the building and the walk through some shops all the way to the waiting shuttles to town.   We picked up some better maps, one of which was their form of the Ho-Ho bus.  Those maps always list the names of the sights that they stop at, and sometimes pictures of each sight.  Anyway, the bus took us to Plaza San Martin where there was a very spacious and nice park.   Close-by was the Galerias Pacifico, a modern shopping complex with every high-end store you would need.   That was not really our destination, so we asked the tourist guide at the bus stop how to get to Puerto Madero from here.  He showed us the main streets to follow, which he considered safe enough for pedestrians.   It's always best to keep to an area where there are a lot of people walking.  In fact, before we left the bus at the terminal, we were warned about wearing nice jewelry and flashy watches.  That says it all.

 

Heading downhill, we passed by many shops, a park, and the Sheraton Hotel.  Crossing some really wide avenues, we followed a tree-lined street all the way towards Puerto Madero.  The closer we got, the more familiar it was.  It has been six years since we were here, but back then, we had walked from the pier following the waterfront all of the way.  There were very few people walking here, so it might not be the safest thing to do. 

 

At the entrance of this complex is the yacht club and a series of canals where pleasure boats are moored by the hundreds.   Lining the canals are numerous restaurants and stores, one of which happens to be the Hard Rock Café.    Located by the first gantry crane, we found the café and happily took seats near the window.  It was early lunch time, so it was not too crowded yet.   That would change.  We ordered two draft beers (IPA) and an order of cheese nachos.  The food was served in a timely manner, and we were just digging into it when a party of at least 20 people entered the restaurant.  Naturally, they sat quite near our table.  By judging the group, it appeared there was possibly a bride and groom with extended family in tow.  We felt bad for the younger kids who wiggled in their seats waiting what seemed like forever to be served even their beverages.  Eventually, flatbread pizza, nachos, and more sharable starters were served, making the kids happy.  By the time we left, they still did not have their entrees.  In addition to this group, about all of the inside tables filled with customers.  We added one order of an apple cobbler with Dulce de leche caramel sauce drizzled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.   Sinful….but so good.  We made one last stop at their shop, buying a city t-shirt.  Lunch set us back 74,900 Argentinian pesos.  OMG that sounded really bad, but doing the math, it computed to a little over $52 USD.  Not bad after all.   The t-shirt was 37,800 pesos or $26.45 with a 10% discount because we wore HRC t-shirts today.   This t-shirt was one of the most affordable ones we have purchased recently.   

 

We had a long walk going back to the bus stop uphill.  Following every mature tree along the way, we stayed in the shade until we reached the Plaza San Martin.  About 20 local buses passed by our waiting group of guests until our shuttle finally arrived.  It took less than 15 minutes to get back to the cruise terminal and another 10 minutes back to the ship. 

 

Captain Rens came on with his departing talk about 5:30pm where he stated the temperature was 76 degrees.  We checked the TV temps and found it was really 82 degrees.    The humidity was 58% with light winds.  We had 147 nautical miles to reach Montevideo tomorrow doing 12.3 knots.  Then he added that the temperature would be less tomorrow with 15 knot winds. 

 

The dining room seemed almost empty, especially deck four.  We bet a lot of folks were on long tours and decided to dine in the Lido instead.  We ordered very lightly this evening, still full from lunch.  Starters were Caesar salads and mains of sliced beef and one pork chop.   We both declined dessert, since we had such a wonderful and filling one at lunch.

 

Tonight's entertainer was Tenna Torres with songs from the 70's to the 90's.  On our way to the front elevator, we could hear the Mix singer, Grace, all the way to the Ocean Bar.   She can really deliver a rousing performance with a powerful voice that travels for miles.  Her audience was really digging it.

 

Tomorrow we will be back in Uruguay, but at the capital, Montevideo.  

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

215 Pictures

Report #23 Thursday, January 22, 2026---Anchored At Punta del Este, Uruguay---8am-4pm--Using Shore & Ship Tenders---Partly Cloudy---72 Degrees--31mph, Winds--78% Humidity----Casual

Uruguay is the country today…..Punta del Este was the port. The population of Uruguay is about 3.3 million people that speak mostly Spanish. The capital is Montevideo, where we will stop on January 24th. 

 

At one time in history, Uruguay was considered the "underdog" between Brazil and Argentina. However, it has come into its own despite being South America's smallest country. Words to describe modern day Uruguay are progressive, stable, safe and sophisticated. There is a lot to see and do for visitors like us.

 

The capital Montevideo is cosmopolitan, while today's port Punta del Este is labeled party- till- you- drop. There is wildlife watching, horseback riding, and beaches galore. It is a city of high rise condos and hotels and is considered one of South America's most glamorous resorts. Celebrities come here for rest, relaxation, and plastic surgery, we understand. 

 

So what's their favorite food here? Various cuts of meat like beef, pork, chorizo, and blood sausage all called asado are on top of the list. How about seaweed fritters called Banuelos de algae? Or a cholesterol bomb of steak sandwiches with bacon, ham, egg, cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives, pickles, and peppers with mayo. Now that's a mouthful. Then wash it down with half and half wine with sparkling wine called medio y medio. 

 

If tours are up your alley, there were a few today. The city tour and Ralli Museum was 3 ½ hours for $60, and the same museum and Casa Pueblo was 4 ½ hours for $80. The city by bike was 3 ½ hours for $120, while a walking tour with lunch was 4 ½ hours for $160. The best of Punta del Este and lunch at a winery was 7 hours and $220 . Pozos Azules Adventure Trek was 7 ½ hours for $250. The most expensive was Alto de la Ballena Winery for 5 ½ hour for $300 which included a BBQ gourmet lunch. 

 

Today was a tender port, with the city providing two large tenders with two of our ship's tenders running all day. We stayed onboard until open tenders were announced, although we could have gone off at any time without tender tickets. Since the boats were loading below our veranda, we could see most of the tour groups going off first. And because we have been here several times on tours, we were on our own today.  

 

We did get on one of the two-level local boats to the marina, where we began our hike. The ride took at least 15 minutes, and since these boats hold more people, it took longer to get onshore. One of the most embarrassing things happened to one of us while boarding this local tender. There was a high step, and by gladly accepting help from the two sailors, my good water bottle holder slipped off of my arm and fell into the drink between the dock and the boat. Oh no…..thank goodness it wasn't me that fell, I told the guys that's OK….let it go. But one of them bent down and scooped it up before it sunk. Normally, I use a holder that goes around my neck, but it is too heavy for a sore neck. Believe me, it will not happen again as I can clip it onto my small purse.  

 

From the looks of the marina, you could tell there are big bucks here by the large number of yachts and sail boats. Many were jammed side-by-side in the marina with people living in them. 

 

We followed the path that took us up and over the peninsula to the Punta del Este Lighthouse with a museum and scenic gardens. Right next to the lighthouse was Iglesia de la Candelaria Catholic Church built in 1911. "Charming" is a good way to describe this church with nice oceanside views. Hiking our way down to the oceanside, we found Englishmen Beach and the wide seaside promenade sidewalk. This wraps around a series of beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, which was full of rocks for the most part. Every spot that could provide a bit of sand was taken up with sunbathers with umbrellas and folding chairs. 

 

We passed by a shrine dedicated to Senora de la Candelaria where Playa El Emir Beach began. More umbrellas, and more locals lined the beach here. Red flags were flying telling the folks there was no diving in the area due to hidden rocks. This did not stop the several brave fellows that were surfing the huge waves. The biggest attraction on this coastline had to be Monumento al Ahogado, a famous sculpture of a hand emerging from the sand. It symbolizes those lost at sea, a very moving remembrance for sure. 

 

It was getting to be time for lunch, so we turned around, crossed the street, and made our way to Gorlero Avenue where we remembered enjoying a good pizza and even better beer. This is Punta del Este's main avenue filled with shopping, cafes, restaurants, and casinos. There are banks, casinos, slot machines, and art galleries on this street. We were afraid the place might be totally full of customers around lunchtime, but we were surprised to find plenty of tables to sit outside on their patio. In Latin America, time is seen differently as far as dining. Everything starts much later in the day, which worked out good for us. 

 

We were seated at a sidewalk table and ordered two draft beers called Patricia. And one of their specialties is pizza….wood-fired pizza. We ordered a medium Hawaiian pizza, mostly because we could understand what was on it as it was written in Spanish. It was cut it four large slices and was just right….good too. After having walked so far, it was nice to relax for an hour or so, watching the foot traffic go by. 

 

Leaving the comfort of the restaurant, we made our way over the peninsula and found the main boardwalk along the river and back to the marina. We happened to see the fish market where the vendors were kicking piles of fish scraps into the water to feed the hungry sea lions. There must have been a half dozen of the large creatures gorging themselves on the easy meal. Perfect timing.

 

One of the larger local boats was loading up, so we headed to it, but found the outside seating was full. If we wanted to go back now, we would have to sit in the cabin of the vessel. Usually, we do not do this, but having no choice, we squeezed into the cabin and waited to leave the marina. The boat was jammed full of guests by the time they left. If for any reason this vessel flipped over, we would never get out. Yes there were plenty of life vests, but they were all wrapped in plastic and secured under the seating with netting. Good luck with that. 

 

The ride seemed to take forever as it went very slowly against the wind. We were safely back onboard by 3pm. The ship left by 5pm well after the captain's daily talk. He said we have 179 nautical miles to reach Buenos Aires tomorrow morning, sailing in 30 knot winds and 3-foot swells. He predicted the winds would die down to 17 knots once we got further up the river, and the temperature would be a pleasant 73 degrees. We would have mostly sun, but some clouds as well. No rain. 

 

Working on photos was going to take forever, as a lot were snapped along the way. Dinnertime had some "comfort" items such as beef empanadas, salads, and mains of bacon and cheese-wrapped meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy on the side. There was also prime rib, but the meatloaf was way better. Only one of us had dessert of watermelon slices.

 

Showtime featured a singer, Marty Thomas, a Broadway veteran and recording artist. Classic rock was his specialty.

 

Tomorrow will be another big day in beautiful Buenos Aires….we will need our beauty sleep for that one.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

350 Pictures

Report # 22 Wednesday, January 21, 2026-----Sea Day #2 Of 2 Enroute To Punta del Este, Uruguay----Mostly Sunny---72 Degrees--5' Swell----Not As Rough---54% Humidity----12mph Winds----Casual Dress

We had a nice day at sea without the deep swells we had yesterday.  There was some motion with pitching, but not so bad you couldn't walk.  In addition, there was a definite drop in the temperature as well as the humidity.  The temps were 70 degrees and humidity was 51% at 10am.  Winds were 9 mph and the skies were clear with a few clouds later in the day.  Sea swells were five feet according to Captain Rens.  During his talk, he mentioned we were 250 nautical miles from our next port of Punta Del Este, Uruguay, and the ship was doing 14 kts. 

 

Tomorrow's port will requite tendering and we will be using two local boats that hold more guests.  Also, we will have two of our tenders transporting the folks too.  The Captain warned that it may be windy, and we all needed to be careful with the tendering process.   He ended his talk telling us that some whales had been spotted earlier in the morning.  Sorry we missed that, although we suspect they were far in the distance.  

 

There was a port talk at 2pm with info on Punta del Este, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo.  Why all three ports, we don't know.  Right now it is 10pm, and we are still searching for the lecture on our TV.  It is a mystery why they are doing these talks so close to the actual port days.   If their intention is to sell more excursions, they are missing the boat. 

 

There are two speakers onboard.  One was Dr. Michael Douglas (not the actor) with a talk on the Antarctic Environment at 11am.  The next speaker was Dr. Jim Jacobs speaking about the geology and micro brews of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. 

 

There were three sessions of water coloring and a one hour session for the craft workshop at 2:30pm.  

 

We did take the time to go to the Sea View Pool and get some sun.  Today two waiters came over and offered us beverages, which was nice.  They were intrigued with Bill's t-shirt which was from the Philippines over 10 years ago.  It had the MS Amsterdam  on the front and the map of the Philippines on the back.  Of course, the waiters were both from Manila and loved the shirt.  Bill has another one printed with the officers and crew on the back from the 2014 Grand World Voyage. On another note Bill did get a few pictures of an Albatross. 

 

Dinner choices were  not too exciting tonight.   We both ordered the shrimp appetizer, always good, and one salad and a bowl of chicken soup.  Entrees were one Peruvian chicken (spicy) and one lamb loin wrapped in filo dough with chopped spinach under the dough.  Neither of us cares a whole lot for cooked spinach, and there was no mention of it on the menu.   We think our waiter will be more informative because we should have told him our preferences.    Now he knows.  Desserts were a strawberry tart and a sliced banana with a little chocolate sauce. 

 

There was a show by the World Stage Cast with Solid Gold and songs from the 70's.  A movie was shown in the Wajang -  Alive.  

 

Looks like we are in for some weather tomorrow and no mention of rain.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

9 Pictures

Report # 21 Tuesday, January 20, 2026-----Sea Day #1 Of 2 Enroute To Punta del Este, Uruguay----Mostly Sunny---73 Degrees---12' Swell----Rough---54% Humidity----16mph Winds----Formal Dress

The seas got rougher through the night, which is not what we had hoped for.  For some reason, one of us does not have the "sea legs"  to weather the motion of the ocean.  Good thing there are seasick pills because one of us had to take some today.  By the way, it worked.

 

When we left the Pinnacle after another nice breakfast, we stopped to talk to our hosts Cyndi and Pat, who are set up outside the Wajang Theater.  They had gifts for us.  We each got a tiny light that was attached with a clip to read books at night.  That will be most useful even at home.  Then when we got back to our room, the dreaded fan was running full blast once again, drying out the carpet.  This makes 16 days of wet carpet so far.  Another room further up our hallway has had the same problem according to hotel manager Glenn.  In fact, he discovered a leak outside his office and now has buckets and dryers there like us.  His replacement manager, Florin, boarded in Rio, so they hope to resolve the source of the leak soon. 

 

We had so much computer work, it took most of the day to do.  While one of us caught up on reports, the other took a long walk on the closed  promenade deck.   The rolling of the ship made walking difficult if not dangerous.  Glad I stayed behind.  Honestly, attempting to walk with the ship moving like this causes more tweaking of the joints, especially your knees.  Much better to wait until it calms down.  Perhaps that is why some people like to go to the gym instead. 

 

Captain Rens came on with his talk saying that the seas were rough.  Duh…  We have 650 nautical miles to reach Punta Del Este, Uruguay in two days.  It will take a speed of 15 knots in seas with swells of 9 feet.  He suspected the waves will calm down, but we don't believe it.  He cautioned all to be careful inside and outside.  The temperature was a much cooler 73 degrees with partly cloudy skies.  No rain.  And the humidity dropped to 54%, a noticeable difference and much more comfortable.    It almost got chilly sitting outside on the veranda. 

 

This evening was formal with a theme of The Great Gatsby.   Guests were invited to dress the part with feathers and headbands.  The real festivities began at 8:30pm in the Crow's Nest.  They promised a night of jazz, libations, and dancing with Roaring Twenty's tunes with the Dam Band.  We often wondered if everyone chose to go there, where would they put them all?    Not a problem for us, we were still eating dinner at that starting time.  The menu was supposed to be formal, but from what we saw, not much was fancy about it.  We used to see caviar on toast points or escargots.  We have yet to see either of those on the starter menu yet.  They did have bacon-wrapped scallops, which one of us tried.  We both had Caesar salads and one of us had the chicken soup.  The choice of soup happens to be better when you are a little seasick.  Our entrees were the tiny lamb chops, but with the salmon sides of green beans, carrots, and rice pilaf.  Rack of lamb might have been better, but lamb was still the better choice.  Their featured main was polenta and cheddar crisps, a vegetarian choice.  A new addition?  Only one of us had dessert of a lemon tulip, which was a drop of lemon meringue filling in the center of a filo dough crust.   If we went to the Crow's Nest, we could have had the chocolate surprise.  Nothing more is said because then, it would not be a surprise.   One of us steers clear of anything chocolate at dinnertime because it causes insomnia sometimes.

 

There was a singer performing in the World Stage by the name of Tenna Torres with "Soul Serenade".    And  a movie was shown in the Wajang – Wolfs. 

 

One more lazy day at sea before we reach Uruguay.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #20 Monday, January 19, 2026---Day #2 In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil----All Aboard 4:30pm----Cloudy With Rain Showers In The Afternoon----90 Degrees----Casual Dress

Well, today in Rio was a sharp contrast from what we experienced yesterday.  Sunday was full of excitement with the Carnaval practicing and the Costa guests coming and going all day.  Despite many venues being closed,  the streets were alive with the excitement of music and dancing.  Today, a Monday, the streets were about vacant, and it was back to work for the adults and back to school for the kids, we think. 

 

At breakfast, we heard that there was competition with the music from the Costa ship and the Dinner Under the Stars, which took place at the Seaview Pool.  Each one may have tried to outdo the other until the Costa ship left the dock at 9pm.    Then all was quiet and the dinner outside was a success.  Lucky for them, it did not rain.

 

There were a few tours offered today, one of which was a 3 day 2-night trip to Iguazu Falls for $4500 (double).  Years ago (2003) while on a Radisson cruise, we did that tour in one day, flying from Buenos Aires in a corporate jet with a small group of guests.   What a thrill that was and we did it all for $700 per person.    The other excursions included a ride to the Tijuca Rainforest in a 4WD for 4 hours and $115.  A street food, art, and beach tour was 6 hours and $180. 

 

After working online for a few hours after breakfast, we left the ship by 10am.  Even though it was overcast and cloudy, the temperature was 90 degrees.   And very little breeze.  We headed for the Museum of Tomorrow which we knew would be opened today.  Along the way, we ran into folks we know who said they did walk around the outside today, but did not go in.   Then we saw Jo who had just left there.  She recommended we go inside mostly because seniors were free today.   Well that works for us.

 

What we did not know was that we still had to get tickets.  Locating the elevator, we went to the line to enter the museum on the second floor.  That's when we learned we needed the "free" tickets to go inside.  OK.   Back down the elevator, we went to the line where only kiosks gave out tickets.  Everything was written in Portuguese.   Now what?  At the very end line, we had help from a worker there who spoke English.  He smiled and said every day was free for seniors.   And he did not need proof.  He worked the kiosk and came out with two complimentary tickets to use on the second level.   At the ticket scan, the fellow handed us credit card sized cards to activate some of the displays.  As spacious as this museum is, some of the venues were tight with space.  And dark.  The first place we entered had info on what the museum was about.  Basically, it was about the direction they felt the world was going with population and dwindling resources.   In many ways, it gave us something to think about, even if we did not agree 100% of what they suggested. 

 

We saw how wind works, how the animal world evolved over the millennium, and the numerous various religions around the world.  It would have been nice if there was more space in these individual displays, especially the ones that were in the dark.  There were several little kids running around, so we did not last long in some of the venues.  The best exhibit was one with several screens with very high videos showing different aspects of nature and various people of the earth.  In the center of this room was a round couch where people with kids were laying down and looking up at the moving screens.  It kind of had a mesmerizing feel to it, and we felt more comfortable standing against a wall.  The underlying message to this display was a lesson in saving what we have left on this planet.   That could not be duplicated anywhere else, so we exited down a ramp to the main level.  Glad we took the time to see this museum, we took a walk all the way around the ponds.

 

We did make a sweep past the one restaurant there at the far end, but it was full of guests, and probably not our choice of cuisine.   The views from these 30,000 square meters of gardens, water mirrors, bike paths, and a leisure area were wonderful.  This museum was inaugurated in 2015 and has since been awarded with the title "Leading Culture Destinations Awards" in the category of best Museum of the year in South and Central America.   A few more interesting facts are that the "ribs" of the outside are actually solar panels that move with the sun.   And the entire museum is cooled by the waters of the bay filtered through the ponds surrounding the complex.  Pretty cool. 

 

We were very curious about the line of locals we saw today and yesterday waiting outside a building for the large strapped Styrofoam boxes we saw the vendors packing.  Most all of these vendors come from the Favelas (like shanty communities) and are called Ambulantes.  Currently, there are 15,000 of these independent vendors that sell beverages to the tourists and the Carnaval marchers.  They buy the bottled water, sodas, and beer from a discounted company, then sell their products all throughout town.  They pay rent to store their carts at one of the warehouses, then walk them to wherever they are selling.  It might be as far as Ipanema or Copacabana Beaches.  We watched a video of one such local vendor who took us through a day in his life as an Ambulante.  He was able to support his wife and two young children with this job.   At one point at the beginning of his day, he fills his water bottle at a local market.  We hope the bottles he sells were sealed, but who knows?  While in Mexico, we actually saw vendors filling water bottles from a hose behind a hotel and sealing the caps with a special heated tool.  Yikes!

 

All aboard was 4:30pm, so we headed back checking out the stalls along the way outside the terminal as well as inside.  There was absolutely nothing we needed, except for some ice cold soda we had waiting in our refrigerator onboard.    Inside the terminal, we had to go through their xray before we were allowed back on the ship.  That saved a lot of time for security on the ship. 

 

We were back before 3pm, and working on photos and reports until sail away time.  We were in our room no longer than 2 minutes, when the sky opened up and it rained pretty good.  Perfect timing as we had not brought umbrellas with us today.   Captain Rens came on with his talk at 4:45pm, and reported that we were waiting for the pilot to board.  The ship pulled away from the dock by 5pm, and we were on our way towards Uruguay.  We will have 975 nautical miles to reach Punta del Este in a couple of days.    The Captain expected a six foot sea swell with some motion of the ocean with partly cloudy weather tomorrow. 

 

Also, when we got back to our room, guess what was waiting for us?  Yep, the dreaded fan was running full blast to dry out the wet carpet once again.   Two plumbers were working in the hall closet where we could see leaking pipes and a wet rusted floor.  Will this never end???    

 

Dinner was interesting tonight with a visit from the Maitre'd, who we have not had the pleasure of meeting.  His name is Azhar and has worked for HAL for several years.  While talking to us, he created a puppy in the form of origami.   That is a trick we have not seen waiters do for years now.  Azhar did cheat a bit by using tape, but it's the thought that counts right?    He asked if we wished for a host on tomorrow's formal evening, but we said thanks, but we are happy with our table for two.  Sometimes a "put-together" table with unknown guests can be one long evening.  Especially for those of us that do not drink the wine.  That seems to extend the dining time by an extra hour.  So many people were demanding a host or officer that he had to tell them his priority were the disembarking guests in San Antonio, Chile.  He would get to the rest in due time.  Bet he was glad we declined the offer.

 

Starters for us were one shrimp cocktail, a Caesar salad, and an arancini plate.  One of us enjoys the room service chicken noodle soup, so that was another starter.  One  main course was breaded chicken with sauteed mushrooms, smashed garlic potatoes, and bearnaise sauce.   The other meal was a vegetarian enchilada with salsa, beans and cheese.  Spicy, but good.  Dessert was one slice of chocolate cake and one plate of sliced pineapple. 

 

The World Stage hosted a singer by the name of Marty Thomas with Give My Regards to Broadway tunes.  The alternate movie was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty at 8:30pm. 

 

After two busy days in Rio, most everyone was ready to turn in early.    We sure were…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

372 Pictures

Report #19 Sunday, January 18, 2026---Rio de Janeiro, Brazil----Docked Port Side To Pier----8am-4:30pm On January 19, 2026---Partly Cloudy---90 Degrees---13mph Winds---43% Humidity----Casual Dress

"Rio" Rolls (AKA Panama Rolls") were being served on the outside decks as the Volendam sailed into the scenic bay of Rio de Janeiro very early this fine and warm morning.  We were awake when the pilot boarded around 6:30am and watched the sail in mostly from our veranda.  One of us did go out to deck six forward to get some photos of the starboard side just in case we were missing something.  Most of the good scenery was on the port side today. 

 

It wasn't the worst weather we have seen here, but it also was not clear and sunny.   The skies were heavily overcast with some dark clouds.  However, there was no rain or fog, which happens quite often here. 

 

At breakfast, we asked if they had any of the Rio Rolls.  They did not, but our waiter knew where he could get two of them.   Within minutes, he brought two of the tasty treats, but just for us.  Not many of the usual customers were here, because we are sure they were on tours.  Some of those excursions were Easy Río for 8 ½ hours for $60, and Carnaval behind the scenes was 4 hours and $96.  Christ the Redeemer and visitor center was 6 hours and $100, while Beaches and Sugarloaf Mountain was 4 ½ hours for $110.  Corcovado and Rio Highlights was 4 ½ hours and $116.  Imperial Petropolis and Museum was 8 hours and $150.  A night at the Roxy was 4 ½ hours for $190 and the Best of Rio with lunch was 8 ½ hours for $260.   One thing that stood out with the Christ the Redeemer tour was that every group had to be pre-booked for a time slot.  The last time we did a tour there, are group was bumped somehow, and we had a two hour wait to get on the ride up. 

 

There was another large cruise ship docked right behind us – Costa's Favolosa with 3780 guests and half that much again with crew.    It appeared that many passengers were disembarking while others were joining.  We shared the cruise terminal with them and noticed that they were on the younger side, many with kids.  We're not sure, but they may be overnighting like us. 

 

As it turned out, we had a sample of a Carnaval samba band and dancers directly across from the gangway on one of the main streets.  It was loud enough to wake the dead.   And our room happens to be above the gangway, so we had ringside seats.  Doing a little research, we realized that this was not the official start of Carnaval in Rio.  That is February 13^th to the 21^st.  However, the locals prepare for this wild occasion by practicing their samba and playing the drums and percussions instruments.  They dress up, more or less, or dress down.  Many ladies and girls had brief outfits as did some of the fellows.   The food and drink vendors mixed with the crowd and followed along as they eventually marched slowly down the avenue.  Police on foot, on motorcycles, and in cars lined the parade.  And we had been warned of street crime here, so watching this scene from our room was perfect. 

 

We went off for our hike around 10am to temperatures in the high 80's and humidity of 43%.  There was a 13-mph breeze, that virtually stopped by the time we came back.  In order to access the city, we had to pass through the terminal building, which was huge.  It was full of vendors selling tours, souvenirs, along with a small info counter.  By the way, the maps the ship provides are not the best, so we looked for a better one in the terminal.  The only one they offered was all in Portuguese with the only other option of downloading an emoji on your cell phone.  That left us out.

 

Once outside the exit, we found a street-full of vendors for one long block.  By now  the samba parade and food vendors had moved up this direction, pretty much blocking our way.   Somehow we ended our way around the crowd to continue our walk.  Despite the density of the Carnaval revelers, we never did feel unsafe.  Of course we would never let our guard down no matter what.  

 

This street led to a massive square where the new Museum of Tomorrow has been erected.  It is a modern concept and we were told it is built in the shape of a whale.  It should have been on HAL's map, but they are outdated and not up to speed.  Being that today was Sunday, the museum was opened, as were many other venues throughout the city.    The square had many more souvenir and food stands set up for the tourists and locals as well. 

 

We continued walking along the Guanabara Bay where some folks were fishing off of the rocks.  It is possible we saw some turtles and some fish jumping along the shore.   On our right, this entire area was fenced off for the military complex there.  No photos were allowed.  The pedestrian street narrowed into a wooden-planked bridge that went under another bridge.  We came out to the naval area heavily fenced and gated.    A few years ago we happened to run into buddies Greg and Heo where we watched the President and his entourage arriving in an official vessel.  There was a lot of pomp and circumstance at the time with the military guards escorting the dignitaries into the building. 

 

We continued on, taking advantage of some nicer and higher benches along the way.   Directly across from us was a very old church we recalled touring years ago.  The doors were shut due to Sunday services we assume.  Nearby we could hear the drums and samba dancers in another colonial section.  Following the sound, we discovered another group practicing for Carnaval.  Once again there were food and trinket vendors surrounding the group.   A bit smaller than the pier group, they were every bit as loud and flamboyant in their dress or lack of dress. 

 

Time to head back, we passed by the Military museum with planes and boats to see.  It was mostly full of locals and their young kids today.  We figured by the time we reached the big square, the samba group would have dispersed.   Wrong.  The group seemed to have gotten even larger, and we ended up caught right in the center of it.  Like salmon going upstream, we dodged the vendor carts and bicycles the best we could.  If we didn't know better, they seemed to be aiming for us.  Too close for comfort, we squeezed over to the terminal buildings and walked the wall all the way back to the ship.  There would be no beer or lunch in town today, as nothing appeared to be opened.  We were back to the ship by 2pm. 

 

Having taken hundreds of photos, we relaxed in our room for the rest of the afternoon.   With two ships in port, the dock activity was constant.  Lunch was room service salad and mini sliders. 

 

There was a special Pinnacle Grill venue with Dinner Under the Stars, held in the Sea View Pool area at 6pm.  We think the cost was $95 with wine.  There was also the tour to the Roxy, so the dining room was not full.  Dinner choices for us were salads, chicken tenders and mains of a pork chop and one tortellini plate.  Dessert was a slice of cherry cake and a sliced banana with chocolate sauce. 

 

The entertainment was The Magic of Samba with the Oi Brasil team onshore.  We were still eating in the dining room when the show started, so we passed on it.  Been there, done that too.  We did not realize it, but the Costa ship left the dock at 9pm.   By then, the drapes had been closed in the upper dining room, and we never saw the ship leave.  

 

One more day here, and then we head for Uruguay.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

424 Pictures

Report #18 Saturday, January 17, 2026--- Sea Day #2 0f 2 Enroute To Rio de Janeiro---Mostly Sunny--80 Degrees--9mph Winds--73% Humidity--Speed--16 Knots-----Casual Dress

It sure felt a lot warmer and humid early this morning when the early riser among us went out on the veranda to film a couple of masked boobys.    They seemed to have appeared from out of nowhere and were flying past our room on the hunt for their breakfast.    And that would be the flying fish of course. 

 

Before we left for our breakfast,  we told our room steward that the leak had re-appeared outside the bathroom door.  We noticed it last night because the dampness in the carpet makes our shoes squeak.  Obviously they did not get to the root of the problem last week.  So we were stuck with the fan blowing all day to dry it out.  It is not a quiet fan either, but it works.

 

We had several visits from the fix-it guys, a front desk rep, and a housekeeping officer checking this leak out once again.   They all looked at it, then took notes, and left.  Sometime during the morning, Kumar called and left a message offering us another room to use during the day.  If the entire carpet was wet, then maybe we would have taken him up on the offer, but we decided to stay.  At one point, the ceiling out in the hallway was dropped and inspected.  If anything was found, no one chose to tell us.    Anyway, the story continues…..

 

Captain Rens came on with his noon talk and said the Volendam was doing 16 knots.  We still have 300 nautical miles to reach Rio, The air and sea temps were about the same at 82 degrees.  Much the same is expected for tomorrow along with some sudden rain showers.   He added that we have confused sea swells of 3 to 4 feet.  He will be picking up the pilot around 7am and intends to open the bow around 6:30am for scenic cruising.  Quite often, it is foggy, so we hope for sun tomorrow.   Bet they serve "Rio Rolls", a knock-off of their delicious Panama Rolls. 

 

Today was the start of another 2 week delivery of our President's Club perks.  We should have gotten 20 Coke Zeros each, but they were short a total of 16 sodas.  The same amount that they got wrong on boarding day.  The waiter said he would straighten this out with his boss, and bring the difference later.  Later was 9pm when we got back from dinner.  Better late, than never we say.

 

There was a notice in the Daily newsletter stating that the internet speed may be slower and the connection could be lost due to satellite interruptions from the entrance into Rio.  Do seem to remember that happening in 2020 as well.

 

There was a port talk on Rio de Janeiro at 2pm today.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute before our arrival.  Usually these lectures take place a few days ahead of time so people have a chance to book tours. 

 

We spent some time at the Sea View pool until it got too hot for comfort.  Even with sunscreen, we are being more careful of getting burned.  Once again, there was no wait service at the tables.  Maybe the size of the crew has been reduced since we only have about 1050 guests right now.  We sure miss Presty since he had the numbers down to a science when it came to guests onboard, guests that were leaving, and new ones boarding.  So far, we have not even met the Head Matre'd in the dining room. 

 

Dinner looked good tonight, so we kept lunch minimal.  We had hoped to have the leak fixed by now, but nothing happened the rest of the day.

 

There was a little bit of everything on the dinner menu.  Starters were a calypso shrimp cocktail, spring rolls, and a bowl of smoked chicken/corn soup.  One entrée was the turkey dinner complete with cranberry sauce.  The other was chicken parmigiana with spaghetti.  Both were very good.  Dessert for each of us was an apple fritter with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.  Many of the guests left the dining room by 8:30pm, saying they were turning in early due to long tours tomorrow in Rio.  Sounds like a good plan. 

 

The entertainment this evening was the World Stage Cast with Rock Britannia – hits from across the pond.

 

Looking forward to two days in Rio de Janeiro.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

66 Pictures

Report #17 Friday, January 16, 2026--- Sea Day #1 0f 2 Enroute To Rio de Janeiro---Mostly Sunny--80 Degrees--15 Knot Winds--74% Humidity--Speed--19 Knots--Part #1 Of 1.....Casual Dress

      

Today was a pleasant day at sea, the first on our way to Rio.  Breakfast continued to be a good way to start the day and the crowd in there are repeaters like us.   As the days roll by, most of us have claimed their favorite tables. 

 

There was a cooking show in the Wajang Theater this morning with Erin, the cruise director and the culinary team.  They were whipping up their signature beef short ribs.  This evening the guest chef, Andre, will have a special dinner with wine pairing starting at 6pm – one seating only.  We have friends that will book this venue and all of the other pop-up dinners on this entire trip.  In competition with that special dinner, there was a Brazilian-themed dinner in the Lido at 5:30pm, as well as an Oi Brasil samba under the stars at 8:30pm.  It was promoted almost like a mini-Carnaval-like event.   

 

We kept busy with photo processing like we always do after being in port city all day.   Matching the pictures to the numerous churches, cathedrals, parks, cultural centers, government buildings and palaces was challenging.  The colonial section of Recife is loaded with these old structures, more so than many other big cities.   The Info center had many brochures for us to take, but many of them were written in Portuguese.  Some had English translations. 

 

At least one of us had the chance for a morning stroll on the promenade deck.   The sea swells are not that bad, but we still seem to have some motion going on.    Perhaps doing a speed of 19 knots contributes to the rocking and rolling.  During his noon talk, the Captain said we were 740 nautical miles from Rio, and we were sailing 119 nautical miles off of the coast of Brazil.  The winds were 15 knots and the temps were in the low 80's.  The stabilizers were out, making it more comfortable for the guests.  Tomorrow, he expects much the same weather with a few showers thrown in for good measure.  

 

We took another break for a walk to the Sea View pool.   There were a lot fewer sunbathers back there than we expected.  It seems that the busier area is the smoking side (port).  Sitting at a small table on the starboard side, we found that there were no waiters offering drinks.  The one fellow that was there, was over on the smoking side.   Now our arms are not broken, and yes, we could have gotten our own ice waters, but we waited to see if a waiter would come on this side of the pool because there were more people like us there.  Nope, never happened and we were there almost an hour.   That is unusual for a grand voyage as the bar staff are usually very attentive regardless of what you are drinking. 

 

Room service mini sliders was our lunch today.  It only took 20 minutes to arrive, which is record time so far.  They are even better than the Dive-In burgers in our humble opinion.  

 

Dinner in the dining room was still busy with the fixed seating crowd.  Starters were one chicken empanada and two different salads.  Mains were lamb chops, a little too rare even though they were ordered "medium".  Prime rib was good and a whole lot of food.  Could not eat it all.  Desserts were one trifle in the small jar and one dish of frozen blueberry yogurt.  We have noticed that the ice creams of the day are not listed on the dining room dinner menu anymore.  Neither are the frozen yogurts or sorbets.  You need to ask for them.   One good aspect of that is the ice cream will not be melted from being pre-scooped earlier and sitting in the kitchen.   

 

We could hear the drums of the Oi Brasil music which came down from deck eight to deck six.  Good thing the suite doors are well-insulated.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report # 16 Thursday, January 15, 2026---Recife, Brazil--9am-5pm--Docked Port Side To Pier--Partly Cloudy--81 Degrees--5' Swell--80% Humidity-----Casual Dress

Our port of call for today was Recife, Brazil.  It was a slow start to the day since the officials did not board the ship on time.    While eating breakfast, there were several announcements for the folks to please not crowd the area where the gangway would be set up.    We think it was closer to 9am before the ship ws cleared and the tour groups could go off.  At 9:30am there was another crew drill, so we left before 10am.  Even though it was not mentioned in the Daily newsletter, most of us knew not to wear flashy expensive jewelry or even carry backpacks and large purses.  

 

It was a little more complicated as far as getting to town.  The port officials did not allow pedestrian traffic, so it was necessary to take a free shuttle to the port entrance.  This included the guests who were on HAL excursions also.  We think the tour folks got on their buses outside the terminal.   Once through the Cruise Terminal, we boarded another free shuttle to the Casa De Cultura in downtown Recife.   On the way, we seemed to be caught up in traffic, giving us a chance to get some photos of the numerous government buildings, cathedrals, palaces, museums, parks, a fort, and empty warehouses near the pier.   This did not look like a place you would want to be walking on your own.   A group of locals were parading through this area carrying flags and banners with some kind of protest.  The banners were written in Portuguese of course. 

 

There were a few tours offered today.  Three of them were 4 to 4 ½ hours for $110.  They were Cultural Olinda and Recife,  Recife Arts and Culture, and Recife and Historic Olinda.  A catamaran ride in the "Venice " of Brazil was 3 hours for $120.  Been there, done that with all of these excursions.   

 

The ride in bus # 2 was interesting since we did get to see some of the historic buildings along the way.  We were here in 2020 but did not remember much of the city.  It took near ½ of an hour to reach the Cultura Center, which was an ancient prison/turned souvenir market.   It was not too crowded yet, so we had a chance to check out the many "cells" where the vendors had set up small shops.   Some of their items were crocheted tablecloths and even clothing.  Not intending to buy anything, a couple of colorful half-crocheted and fabric tops caught our eye.  The prices were very reasonable, so we purchased two of them.  They did take US dollars but seemed to have a hard time doing the conversion from Brazil Reals to US dollars, maybe on purpose.   The ship's map has not had the country's conversion on them, so we have to look it up before we go off of the ship.   We used to have small convenient cards with samples of the prices in both currencies.  HAL stopped doing that a few years ago.   This center is not all that big, so we walked it twice, then went outside to wait for the bus.  There must have been at least 100 people out there in line already.   And there was very little shade to get out of the warm sun. 

 

One of our buddies decided to search for a place to get some beers.  We remember some of our friends had to take a taxi to find a decent place for lunch.  So we assumed there was not anything that nice around here.   They went off and we did not see them come back.  Brave, they were.   We waited for 20 or 30 minutes, then a couple of shuttles finally arrived.  The rush to board the bus was not that friendly.  Some people get pretty grumpy when they think they will miss lunch in the Lido. 

 

There was less traffic on the way back to the cruise terminal, but we did see remnants of the protest demonstrators gathered at Ground Zero Plaza.  The Brazilian dancers at the cruise terminal had left, and there was another tour group of "sticky" people waiting for their coach.  Sticky meaning the colored stickers they wear that identifies them for a specific tour.   We were back to our room before 1pm. 

 

Busy with today's photos and research, we ended up with a room service lunch of salads and sandwiches, which arrived by 3pm.  There was an ice cream social held in the Sea View pool area at 4pm, but we did not attend. 

 

Captain Rens came on with his departing talk around 4:30pm.  All aboard time was about then, but we knew there were late excursion groups not back yet.  They would be delayed for an hour.  The Captain mentioned that we had 1086 nautical miles to reach our next port of Rio de Janeiro on January 18^th.  We have two days at sea to get there at a speed of 17 knots.  The current temperature was 81 degrees and we could expect a sea swell of 5 feet.  Tomorrow's weather was about the same, but less wind at 5 knots.  It will be sunny and partly cloudy with no mention of rain.

 

The Volendam finally left the dock after the last few buses returned around 5:30pm.  We were glad to have taken sail-in photos since we did not see the city's skyline on the way out to sea.  However, we did get some pretty clear shots of Olinda, 5.9 miles north of the dock in Recife.  A UNESCO-listed city, their famous cathedral, Baroque churches, lighthouse, and colonial mansions stood out buried in the hilltops.

 

Dinnertime arrived and we ordered one potato and cheddar cheese soup, one cheese and artichoke dip with tortilla chips, and one shrimp summer roll (good).  Mains were the roasted ribs with latke potatoes and spinach.  Forgot to hold the spinach, but the serving was meager anyway.  The pork ribs were tender and savory.  Desserts were a fried banana and a plate of watermelon.  Unfortunately, we did hear of some isolated incidents where some of the passengers had their things stolen.  Sad, but these thing happen.

 

Some guests left the fixed seating dining room before 8:30pm, and we assumed they may be going to see the movie in the Wajang Theater.  Tonight's film was Pele:  Birth of a Legend.   There was a vocalist, Isabel Commandeur in the World Stage with a magical night of Broadway and opera.

 

Once again, two days at sea will be most welcomed.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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