Report #53 Saturday, February 21, 2026---Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia---Docked Starboard Side To Pier---8am--Overnight---Till 4am Sunday---Mostly Sunny---86 Degrees---17mph Winds-----Casual Dress

Today's port of call was a very familiar one for us, since we have been here in this most beautiful part of the world many times….too many to count.  And the port was the island of Tahiti and the capital Papeete.  The bow was opened at 7am for those who wished to watch the sail into the harbor.  Watching the bow camera in our room, we noticed that only a few folks got up early today.  And what did they miss?  Dolphins in front of the ship, then alongside right below our room, and finally in the wake.  They appeared to be feeding in a pod of adults and some youngsters.  In all of the times we have done this sailing, we never saw so many dolphins, and certainly not this close-up.    A young neighbor gal next door to us was at the railing, and she heard us say dolphins.  With that she asked where?  She whipped out her cell phone and took some pictures, and said in a joking way, wait until my husband (in the shower) sees what he missed.  Yep, you just have to be in the right place and time like today. 

 

At the same time there were two ferries that were waiting for us to enter the harbor.   They proceeded on their way out and that was the end of the sightings.   We will be leaving the harbor at 4am tomorrow morning, and we know we will not be up to watch it, let alone see any more dolphins. 

 

Before we arrived here, we all got notices regarding the biosecurity notice for all of French Polynesia.   This notice advises us not to bring over agricultural items, fresh fruits, flowers, veggies, plants, or plant derivatives.  Quarantine officers will be at each port and will spot check bags.  We have seen it done and we have also seen folks bringing bananas, oranges, and sandwiches for their bus tours.  If a fine is involved, it is not worth it. 

 

Another notice was a new one we have not seen.  It is informing folks that buy pearls more than 5,000 Pacific French Francs, or about $45 USD, you may be eligible for a tax refund if they are purchased in a shop and you get a receipt. 

 

Two room things were scheduled this morning.  First we had balcony cleaning, followed by rug shampooing.  We think both happened while we were at breakfast.

 

OK, so what is there to do in Tahiti?  We have heard some guests on previous trips say there is nothing to do and see in the town of Papeete.   But then, they were organizing independent tours outside the area and sold many to the guests.    We happen to like the town and easily can spend most of the day exploring the sights and having lunch.  Naturally, there were some HAL excursions here, many of which we have done over the years.  East coast highlights was 2  hours for $100, while the West coast tour was 4 hours for $130.  Rapenoo Valley & waterfall on a 4wd was 3  hours for $130.  Tahiti lagoon discovery was 3 hours for $140, while Natural treasures was 4  hours for $140.  The Ohana Catamaran was 3 hours for $160, and a 2 hour sunset sail with cocktails was $160.  Tahiti around the island was 7 hours and $220 which included lunch.   

 

No doubt it was going to be a nice and warm day even though we have been seeing rain in the forecast for a week now.  Yes, it can rain at any given time, but it usually, it is passing.  The temperature at 10am was already 86 degrees with the humidity at 70%.  The winds were 17 mph but decreased as the day advanced.  We had overcast early on, followed by some sun and broken clouds.  The rain stayed away, at least in the town. 

 

Around 9:30am, there was a crew drill, which we knew would last an hour.  So we left the ship by 10:15am for a walkabout in downtown. Going through the new terminal is not people-friendly in our humble opinion.  Once leaving the gate at the pier, we had to walk up a flight of stairs to access the terminal.  There is a ramp, but you have to walk almost the entire length of Vaiete Park where the food roulettes come at night.   We did notice another ramp by the stairs, but access to be building was closed.  This new terminal does have all  of the souvenirs that used to be at the old tent and info hut…..all gone now.  There is another section full of seating for those who are boarding other ships here as well as those who try to get internet.  We tried later in the day but had no luck connecting. 

 

We crossed Boulevard Pomare and headed right for the Marche Municipal, or the Marketplace.  This two-story building has everything you might be seeking in the way of clothing, jewelry, woven goods, or souvenirs.  There is a food and fish market on the first floor and something we always get…..flowers, tropical flowers.   We had recalled that this market closes earlier on Saturday like around 1pm.  So we decided to continue our hike and stop here on the way back.  That way we would not have to pack flowers for hours, as they tend to be heavy. 

 

Passing the outside tables, we looked a little closer at the pearl offerings, and found a strand of 5 dropped black and grey pearls that would work with earrings already owned.   The prices were quite reasonable and it took a short time to find a suitable necklace.  Deliberately staying clear of the fabric shops (I have too much already), this was a nice substitute. 

 

Hinano has a very nice store in this area with a variety of clothing that one of us likes.  Namely, t-shirts with the Hinano logo.  They happened to have a 20% Valentine's Day sale if you bought one man's and one woman's t-shirts.   A good deal, we did just that, and lucky to get our sizes since the store was full of customers, mostly from the Volendam.  

 

Our walk took us into the downtown area passing the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  Once again, we found the doors locked to the public.   A little further up this street, we passed one of the busiest places in town….McDonalds.   Locals love to dine there, and cruise ship guests like to use their free wifi.   Of course, the more people using it, the slower it becomes.   Beyond the parking lot at McDonalds is a wall that always had a beautiful mural.  It had been painted over the last couple of visits we had here, but today, there was a new one in its place.  Even nicer of a beautiful mature Tahitian woman who might be famous person here.  

 

This is where the Assembly building is located with the Queen's Garden walk along the side and into the back of the property.  Sadly, the place was gated and locked today.  We did see a sign saying that on Monday, there would be an event held here for a week or so.   So we crossed the busy street to Bougainville Park, which seems to have become the refuge of a few homeless locals.   There are public restrooms located here and are convenient to the non-working crowd.  Remembering that the marketplace might be closing early, we headed back to purchase some tropical flowers.    We ended up with four large bunches of white and red ginger, bird of paradise, protea, and some filler blossoms with many ti leaves for color.   They are surprisingly heavy with their thick stalks.  

 

Back onboard, one of us re-arranged the flowers and made one huge bouquet using the large vase our room steward supplied.  Even by shortening the stems, it remained very large and tall, taking up our coffee table.  Sometimes there are ants in the blossoms, but we only saw a few.  Taking no chances, we always use Vaseline around the upper one inch or more edge of the vase as a barrier.  It works well.   By the time we were done with that job, it was time to head out again for lunch. 

 

This time we walked in the shade to LaPizzeria, not too far from the ship.  The pedestrian traffic had slowed to the point it looked like a Sunday here.  Many of the shops on the boulevard had closed  and we knew that the marketplace was also wrapping up business for the day.  It is always a relief to find the doors of this popular Italian restaurant opened.  We were seated next to a family of eight with four little kids.  Obviously on vacation,  they were speaking French.   The young kids were pretty good, until one by one, they began roaming the place with the excuse of going to the restrooms.   Always fun to watch, and glad they were not part of our group. 

 

So the very first thing we ordered were Hinano draft beers….the big ones.  Then one of us recalled having some pasta here last fall, and decided to try another bowl of the tagliatelle noodles with butter.  Oh….noodle heaven and gladly shared since the petite portion was still large.  The pizza we always like best is the Hawaiian with plenty of sauce, pineapple, cheese, and ham.   Hands down, it is among the best pizzas you can find in all of these islands.  Dessert was one shared bowl of profiteroles with vanilla ice cream.  Needless to say, dinner will be light tonight. 

 

Heading back, we crossed the boulevard and took or time walking the Paofai Park trail.  At this time of day, the harborside cafes and restaurants were not crowded at all.   But then it was 3pm and ice cream time for many.  Along the marina, there are a  series of manmade coral beds with growing corals that had been tied on years ago.  Much like planting a garden, these colorful corals attract many small  and large tropical fish.  One such fish is a puffer fish .  The one we saw today was bright yellow, most unusual we thought.   The bird sightings today were fewer with two types of terns, doves, pigeons and chickens. 

 

On the way back, we stopped for a while to try for the wifi at the terminal but had no luck.   The restaurant did have a website, but the signal was poor at best.   So we gave up and boarded the ship, enjoying the coolness of our room for the remainder of the afternoon, consuming at least two sodas each.

 

Somehow we missed the sunset, or a huge black cloud obliterated it.  Once it was dark, the food trucks arrived at Vaiete Place, a favorite spot for the crew members to have local cuisine.

 

One event that took place last evening was Dinner Under The Stars held at the Seaview Pool area at 6pm.   Many of our friends attended and they were all concerned about sudden rain showers.  They got lucky and only a light mist came down upon them by coffee time.  Bet it felt good because it was still hot a 9pm.    Dinner for us was light with a salad, one bowl of soup and a "right-sized" petite tenderloin meal with polenta.  Even at that, we were still full and declined dessert.  We had outdone ourselves at lunch, but did not tell our waiter that.  

 

There was a local show in the World Stage with "Mana: The Spirit of Tahiti" which we saw last November.  This award-winning show featured the best singers, dancers, and musicians from Tahiti and was well-attended.

 

Tomorrow we will be in Moorea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

406 Pictures

Report #52 Friday, February 20, 2026---Sea Day #2 Of 2---Enroute To Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia---Partly Cloudy---82 Degrees---19mph Winds---6' Swell----78% Humidity-----Casual Dress

A day at sea is just what we all needed to adjust to five time changes in six days.  So many people we know have been complaining about the fact that they do not sleep well when the clocks keep going back.  It is true because we find that we wake up about every hour, checking the clock for the correct time.  You think you slept for hours and it turns out it was only one or two hours.  Then falling back asleep is not always that easy.  Oh well…this too will pass.

 

The temperature was already 81 degrees at 7am this morning.  The humidity has been creeping up and thanks for the wind speed of 19mph, it helped cool it down a bit.   The forecast shows light rain, but somehow the navigators onboard are able to steer around the light downpours.  We are doing a speed of 19 knots, although that may decrease the closer we get to French Polynesia.

 

While we were deep in photo sorting, the Captain came on with his noon update.  He did slow down to 15 knots to arrive on time to Papeete, 286 nautical miles away.  By noon, the thermometer read 84 degrees with partly cloudy skies.  He also added that the swells were confused with 6 foot peaks.  The water temperature is 86 degrees.  Tomorrow he expects more of the same conditions, but a possibility of rain is there because we are here in the wet season.   In other words, pack the umbrellas. 

 

The usual activities took place with the emphasis on promotions in the shops and Effy Jewelry sections.  The casino even had deals, which we can say for a fact, that so far the casino has been extremely quiet.  At least when we pass through on our way to dinner, we might see a half dozen folks in there playing the slots.  Most of the table games have a few guests.  And we have not noticed any smokers in there, although the Casino doors by the Hudson Room have been closed every day for a few weeks now.   

 

Lectures took place all day, with one delivered by Captain Rens about HAL memorabilia.  We do need to catch up on these talks before they are erased from their system. 

 

The day passed by all too quickly and we even forgot lunch.  Dinnertime was casual with some new items such as an artichoke shrimp and cheese dip, and a beef tataki appetizer.  We both had salads, then ordered one KFC or BFC as our waiter suggested.  He said it stands for buttermilk fried chicken instead of Kentucky fried.  The other meal was a mix of sliced pork, ham, and a hunk of sausage with some sauerkraut.  Very different for an entree, but it worked.  For the first time since we boarded, we spotted carrot cake on the dessert list.  So we each had a small slice.  It was worth the calories. 

 

Looking forward to Papeete tomorrow.  It seems like we were just there, but then again, we were here last November.  That's why it is beginning to feel like coming home.   

 

And no time change this evening.  There was a show with vocalists Superduo singing a unique musical journey with the classics.  The movie was Gauguin Voyage to Tahiti. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

30 Pictures

Report #51 Thursday, February 19, 2026---Sea Day #1 Of 2---Enroute To Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia---Partly Cloudy---80 Degrees---16mph Winds---6' Swell----72% Humidity-----Dressy Dress

Some sea days are lazy ones, while others carry a surprise.  Today was one of those that had both.  With the time change one more hour back, we were surprised to see the Pinnacle Grill fill up with hungry guests this morning at 8am.  Usually there are a handful of us that are exactly on time.  But today, almost every table filled up with regulars and some new folks.  Not all of the waiters were there, so the bussing of tables was slow.   Now we know to be on time or else we might lose our cherished table by the door.  This afternoon the Pinnacle was hosting a French Bistro Lunch, so the staff was probably preparing for that event.   And for good reason, the Pinnacle Grill would be closed for dinner.

 

It was going to be a warmer day since we noticed the temperature was already near 80 degrees F at 8am.  We could see there were following winds, and with the increased humidity, it made things even hotter.  It was starting to feel like French Polynesia already although at noon we still had over 700 nautical miles to reach Papeete, Tahiti on Saturday. 

 

With one promenade walk and one session catching up on yesterday's scenic port, we spent an hour or so at the Seaview Pool.  Fewer people were back there sunbathing, just the ones that like to toast.  We lasted long enough to drink two glasses of lemonade, then headed back to the coolness of our room.  With the sun at the aft of the ship, none of the verandas get the direct heat even when the sun is ready to set. 

 

We had an invitation for a complimentary wine tasting that was a walk around tasting.  Since we do not drink wine, we passed on the invite.  For most everyone else, the price was $35.  So for us, the remainder of the afternoon was still a lazy one, with the exception of the task of photo work.

 

Now to the surprise part of the day.  That began with another invitation from Captain Rens and Florin for an exclusive President's Club Event for cocktails and dinner.  But this time, the event was held in the Lido Dome Forward beginning at 5:30pm.   Ever since we received this invitation, some of us wondered where dinner would be held.  Certainly not in the pool area since it had been such a scorcher of a day and we might melt.  However, the theme was Island Dream with the suggestion of tropical attire suitable for a warm festive atmosphere.  OK, that sounds like the dinner would be in the same area as the cocktails.  Now at breakfast this morning, one of our fellow members suggested we all wear shorts to this affair.  At first we laughed but the more we thought about it, why not?  Actually, the suggested attire for the rest of the guests was "dressy".   So we deducted that since we were dining on the Lido deck, shorts were perfectly acceptable.  And besides, the fellows could wear their nice tropical shirts and the ladies something similar.    Once we all sat down at the tables, who would know who was wearing shorts? 

 

Well, when we arrived, about half of the folks we know dressed very casual, and we figured that Florin had gotten the message that we were rebelling just this one time.  He greeted us all with a smile and said why not?  The sun was still shining on part of the Lido poolside,  but by the time cocktail hour was over, it was all in the shade.   Now here's a funny fact.  Captain Rens came to the gathering dressed in tropical attire, but long pants.  When he saw most of us in shorts, he disappeared and came back wearing…..you guessed it….shorts.  He does have a wicked sense of humor.   

 

So tonight the Pinnacle Grill was closed and all of the staff took care of the 32 or so guests and two officers or staff members that joined each table for 10.  One side of the pool had been converted to just four large round tables and island decorations.   Cocktails were served in the bar area along with some canapies.  One was a breaded salmon bite, another was a cheese and jam snack and the third was a tender piece of beef steak.  Now came the bigger surprise of the evening.   We seldom go to any of the bars so we did not know that they have started serving Blanton's, a very nice single batch whiskey and a favorite for one of us.   Sitting at the bar with friends, we instantly spotted the cork with the racing horse on the top.  The bartender gladly poured a drink for Bill, who was a happy camper.  I had a Cuba Libra, then switched to a strawberry daiquiri with rum after watching the bartender whipping them up right and left.  Sure was good……

 

Dinner was served shortly after we all were seated at place markers with our names.  We lucked out and had a great table with people we know and the Staff Captain, Kadesh and Hotel Manager Florin.  What a perfect combination.  Kadesh, who we have met on previous cruises was all smiles because he will be going home in Papeete.  We will miss him, but he will be happy to be home with his family.  He told us many things about how the captains are chosen for the job.  It takes about ten years as staff captain and experience working with multiple captains and various crew members.  Then a screening process takes place as well as special training.  It might take a long time with referrals and recommendations before becoming a captain these days.    One day we know for certain that Rakesh will be an excellent captain and we sure hope he stays with HAL. 

 

During the course of the meal, we asked Rakesh about what went through his mind when Captain Rens was on the Pitcairn longboat at the end of our visit.   Now that he had taken the helm, he laughed and said "mutiny" flashed before him.  Of course referring to the Mutiny on the Bounty.  We all suggested how funny it would have been if he took the ship around the back of the island to hide from the Captain and crew when they came back from their little venture.  He would have loved to pull the prank, but he said you never know how people onboard will react to a joke and it was not a chance he would take.   Fun thought though.

 

So the menu was a tropical-inspired five course meal starting with assorted fresh bread, an island orchard strawberry gazpacho, or cold soup.  Real champagne (Veuve Clicquot) was served with the soup.  The second course was a slice of halibut with a lobster medallion, which only one of us had.  A white wine from Washington state was served.  A bitter-sweet grapefruit and pink pepper palate cleanser was served next.  The fourth course was Huli-Huli pork belly which had been pressed for 36 hours.  Diced pineapple and a macadamia nut onion shell was also on the plate.   A pinot noir from Oregon was the wine served with the pork dish.  The fifth and final course was dessert of lomi-style white chocolate namelaka, or orange sorbet with cinnamon gel and almond crisp on the bottom.  A Godiva kiss was served consisting of brandy, creme de cacao, and Bailey's.   Very sweet with chocolate shot around the rim.  Since it was close to 9pm, we passed on the coffee and petit fours. 

 

The party began to break up before the 9pm show in the World Stage, which was an instrumentalist Pablo Bendersky.   Speeches were made, the chefs came out for a bow, and we all thanked our hosts for such a pleasant evening.  With another hour back tonight, we called it an evening.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

4 Pictures

 

Report #50 Wednesday, February 18, 2026---Scenic Cruising Pitcairn Island---6:30am-2pm---Ash Wednesday---Sunny--80 Degrees--15mph Winds--73% Humidity-----Casual Dress

We were up bright and early this morning for the scenic sailing into Bounty Bay of Pitcairn Island…… the very same island involved with the Mutiny on the Bounty saga.  Actually, there are four islands that comprise these remote British Overseas Territories in the Pacific.   Starting with the largest,  there is Henderson, Pitcairn, Oeno Atoll,  and Ducie.  Only Pitcairn is inhabited with about 54 residents who live in the tiny town of Adamstown and speak English and Pitkern. 

 

Breakfast was at 7:30am today, but we had gone outside on the bow briefly to take some pictures of the island on the starboard side.  One of us came carefully out of the door to the bow, strolled over to the railing, and got hit with wind that took some of my hair and wrapped it around a rope.   That rope was full of black grease…..good grief.  It took a minute to unwrap it from that rope with hands full of the grease.  That will teach me to braid it before going outside in the wind.   It did come out after three washings with shampoo and gobs of conditioner.

 

At breakfast, our waitress, Joan went in search of some Bounty Rolls which Florin had mentioned were different.  She came back with two rolls that were filled with chocolate coconut….different, but OK although we prefer the mandarin filling.  One time they served Hong Kong Rolls with bean curd, and the crew loved them.  The guests?   Not so much.  

 

Pitcairn has a total of 5 square kilometers with a landscape of desolated rock cliffs, valleys, and two peaks that are 892 feet and 1105 feet in elevation.  Their currency is the New Zealand dollar, however, there are no banks here.  They use a treasury office as well as credit cards.  Interesting, but there is no unemployment here.  The average salary is the equivalent of $885 US dollars a month.  The people that live here are Polynesian and descendants from the Bounty. 

 

Their police force consists of two constables.  There is one post office, and the locals rely on the UK government for support.  Although they do all right with tourism and selling souvenirs when ships like the Volendam stop for a visit.  That occurs from 10 to 15 times during the season when ships make a stop here.  Small expedition ships and yachts will also pay them a visit during the year.

 

Another interesting fact is that the houses here all have modern appliances which can be ordered online.  Their diet consists mainly of fish, and home-grown fruits and veggies.   They have what is considered the purest honey in the world which is sold in small amounts.  Today the guests were allowed only two jars per person.    We have no doubt it was very expensive.   All of the necessary staples and supplies come from Mangareva in French Polynesia, about a 36-hour chartered vessel ride to here.  

 

There is no hotel here, but homestay accommodations.  They do have a few shops, a pharmacy, one gas station, a hospital and a doctor and one nurse. The average life expectancy is 50.4 years old, and that applies to both sexes.   They do have TV  and internet provided by Starlink.  Guess what…..there is NO cellular service.  There is one school that is closed because there are no kids living here now.   They have one bar called Christian's Cafe.  There is one church and the main religion is Seventh Day Adventists.   Electricity is diesel generated using 75,000 liters of fuel a year.  There are plans in the future to convert to a hybrid photovoltaic solar energy, which may have already happened.   

 

In 2012, there was one car on the island (or so it was written), but we have seen 4x4 quad vehicles and many motorcycles.   It sure is a far different picture from what the mutineers found back in January of 1790, when Fletcher Christian and eight other officers and crew settled on this small island.  He also brought six Tahitian men, twelve Tahitian women and one child with the group.  And from there, the story continued.  If you are as old as us, you might remember the three movies that depicted the story of the mutiny.  We doubt any of them are 100% based on actual history as Hollywood tended to glamorize the events.  Today there was a guided pictorial presentation by resident Darralyn Griffiths, a seventh-generation descendant of Fletcher Christian, who showed what life was like living on this tiny but beautiful volcanic island.   As we chose not to waste any time inside a dark show lounge, we hope to catch this talk on the TV tomorrow.  

 

A little bit more info on Henderson Island reveals that it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and remains a scientific site for studies done annually.  The island is 170 kilometers from Pitcairn, while Oeno Atoll is 150 kilometers away, with Ducie 530 kilometers and the furthest from Pitcairn.   

 

There was no announced plan for our short stay here in regards to staying in Bounty Bay or circling the island slowly for several hours.  Because of some deep swells and higher winds, the ship had to move out of Bounty Bay to allow the islanders to board from their long boat.   We counted about 25 or more people in that boat.    The printed plan for their visit was well laid out with their craft market set up in the Lido Poolside area.  Then at 10:30am in the World Stage, Captain Rens and the Mayor of Pitcairn exchanged plaques for this memorable visit.  Following that, there was the guided presentation by native Darralyn.  We did get a chance to watch her talk and photos on our TV late after dinner.   Hotel manager, Florin, presented the Mayor with a giant check that was representing $5000 of food supplies donated by HAL, if we understood correctly.  Great idea and the gift was well-received.

 

Now, regarding the scenic sailing, it appeared that it was working mostly for the folks on the starboard side of the Volendam.  We jokingly call Captain Rens the "starboard Captain".  Perhaps there were more calls for equal time coming from other portside guests because we eventually noticed the ship turned  and gave us all the spectacular view.   We were happy to find many of the island's birds were flying overhead and above the water.  One such bird is a favorite of ours and that is the tropicbird.  For some unknown reason, we were not seeing them early in the morning.  There were plenty of white terns and a few frigatebirds.  While shopping for some treasures in the craft market, we did have a chance to talk to Mr. Christian, the son of Irma Christian, and a descendant from Fletcher.    He told us that his mother lived to within one month of 91 years old and passed away in 2016.  Lucky for us, we had purchased her cookbook which she signed for us.  Then we asked him about the tropicbirds and he said they were there mostly in the Bounty Bay area.  By golly, we went back out and finally saw several of them flying over the ship close to the time we left.  Another lucky find for us, however processing the over 2000 photos taken today is going to take time.

 

We have one good question for whoever authorized the painting of the railings on some outside decks, such as deck 9.  They had two days at sea to do this, so why pick a scenic sailing day to paint where people come to take photos or just enjoying watching this remote island?   We happened to notice more than a few folks come outside on deck nine, go directly to the railing, and put their hands right on the wet varnish, not seeing the sign below.  

 

Back in our room, we did have the chance to witness the longboat pull alongside and load up with much appreciated food supplies such as rice, flour, sugar,  and many other staples.  Although most everything was boxed up, sometimes they send them back with fresh fruit and veggies and eggs and meats such as bacon and ham.  And other times we have seen some cases of alcohol being gifted for the adults and plenty of ice cream as well.    It took well over a half hour for them to stash the goodies, then the rest of the natives boarded and took their place on the boat.  Some of our crew went along for the ride back and that included the Captain, Florin, and some other officers.  Passengers on all of the portside decks were cheering them on as they sailed into their harbor.  Our crew were returned by 1:30pm, and before 2pm, we were on our way towards French Polynesia.   What a day we had here, and even though we did not step foot on the island, we enjoyed every minute of the sailing and mixing with the locals in the craft market wishing them well in the future.

 

We kept busy all afternoon until dinnertime arrived.   Lunch was room service mini sliders, just enough to tide us over to 8pm dinner.  Tonight the menu offered a lot of fish items.  We really like the shrimp cocktails, so we ordered those and Caesar salads.  Mains were the same with small chicken meatballs and ziti pasta with a tomato sauce.  Dwi suggested a "jar" dessert that mentioned cake and cream, but the cake was crumbs and it was way too gooey.   Slices of watermelon worked for one of us.  Cannot go wrong there.

 

The clocks went back another hour tonight, and according to the Kindle, we will need to set them back one more hour tomorrow evening.  We will be eating breakfast when we were having lunch a week ago!  Some folks went to the show of David and Dawn, instrumentalists and visual artists with imaginative creativity.  And the movie in the Wajang was Broke. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

440 Pictures

Report #49 Tuesday, February 17, 2026---Happy Lunar New Year And Mardi Gras--Sea Day #2 Of 2---Enroute To Pitcairn Island---Mostly cloudy--79 Degrees--13mph Winds--6' Swell--75% Humidity------Casual Dress

Technically, today was Happy Lunar New Year, although they celebrated it on the ship yesterday.  Today is also Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, and the beginning of Lent tomorrow.  So today's activities surrounded Mardi Gras with decorations, lunch menus, afternoon tea, and a Mardi Gras Party in the Crow's Nest this evening.   One celebration at a time. 

 

It was a fairly lay-low day for us, especially with the time changes.  It really doesn't matter which way the clocks go, it does affect your eating and sleep habits.  We have been hearing from other guests about not sleeping well and waking up all hours during the night. 

 

We went to the Seaview Pool to catch some sun while sipping lemonade.  Since the ship is heading almost due west, neither side of the ship gets sun on their verandas.   The temperature has remained rather comfortable with high's in the 70's.  During his noon talk, Captain Rens mentioned mild temps and winds to match.  The seas seem a bit smoother today as well.  And you will get no complaints from us.  We are still 302 nautical miles from Pitcairn Island and we are doing a speed of 17  to 19 knots.   Oher than a very nice, detailed letter on tomorrow's schedule for the scenic sailing and short stay in the harbor, he gave no details in advance during his talk. 

 

At least the TV feed is working again.  We must have been on the fringes of the satellite, but the problem has been resolved at least for now.   The internet is working fine, and that gave us a chance to research some information on these isolated islands in the middle of nowhere. 

 

Dinnertime had a Mardi Gras theme with some different items.  We stuck to the Caesar salad with appetizers of a shrimp cocktail and one arancini Pomodoro.  Then one of us ordered a chicken fajitas and the other lasagna.  Some of the other choices may have had some spices or sauces in them that the allergy-prone one of us has to avoid.  We did hope they had the traditional King cake, but it was not on the dessert menu. 

 

Since the Mardi Gras Party began at 8:30pm, many folks left the dining room by 8:30pm.  There was a show with a singer named Michael "Big Mike" Lynche .    The Dam Band moved to the Crow's Nest and the Piano Bar entertainer, Grace, moved into the Ocean Bar.  

 

And the clocks were set back one more hour tonight.  Should be a nice day in the harbor of Pitcairn tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #48 Monday, February 16, 2026---Chinese New Year---Year Of The Horse---Sea Day #1 Of 2---Enroute To Pitcairn Island---Mostly Sunny --80 Degrees--20mph Winds--6' Swell--75% Humidity----Casual Dress

Happy Chinese New Year to you all!

 

Well, here we are celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the horse we believe.  May this day bring good luck to everyone we know either in person or on Cruise Critic. 

 

The day was full of fun activities and lectures.  One talk involved the legacy of Captain Cook delivered by Howard Krug, and Pan Am's Pacific Clipper by Willie Aames.  The afternoon time slot went to Ruth Sinai who spoke about deep sea and deep space explorers.   We hope to catch these talks on our TV.  Speaking of which, the TV reception was totally interrupted all day.  We must be between satellite feeds because it was affecting all of the ship's TV's.   We will have to be patient until the reception gets better, which might not be until we are closer to French Polynesia.   

 

One of us finished the report on yesterday's exploits, while the other took his usual deck walk.   We went up to the Seaview Pool and sat at the side railing catching a breeze.  It was mostly sunny and comfortably warm with temps in the high 70's.   That can be deceiving since you do not realize how burned one can get if not being careful.  The deck fellows have been very good about bringing ice tea or water to us.  Ramon is one of the guys back there and he is most friendly.  When he is not there, Salvadore  takes care that we are not getting dehydrated. 

 

The Captain came on with his daily greeting of "Jolly good afternoon to everyone".   He said we had 710 nautical miles to reach Pitcairn Island on February 18^th.    It will be a short stop where we drop anchor and let the locals come onboard from 8am to noontime.  

 

One of us had a haircut at 4pm, and the "barber" Luchel did a fine job.   He will go back to her for the next haircut.  Rene the manager is still here, but we do not see her as often as we used to.  But then we only pass through the Lido (where most of the staff eats lunch) about once a day.   Then we usually order from room service and keep it light.

 

The entrance to the dining room was decorated nicely for Chinese New Year.   We remember when the entire dining room on both levels were decorated.  We also recall how many guests and even some of the staff collected the lanterns and other decorations and took them to their rooms.  The most decorations are the colored napkins at each place setting and a different type of printed menu.   Tonight we had one Caesar salad, a small plate of baby pork ribs, a bowl of beef soup with ramen noodles, and mains of General Tsao chicken.   All of it was very good especially the chicken.   We added one small slice  of chocolate layer cake and a few slices of pineapple. 

 

After dinner, we rode the elevator with a very attractive lady who obviously was not a passenger.  It turned out she was the instrumentalist Irina Guskova, who was about to start her second show of the evening in the World Stage.  Too bad we missed it.

 

The clocks went back one more hour this evening.  Now we are one hour off of Pacific time.  This too will take its toll by the end of the week.  Too many changes too fast.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #47 Sunday, February 15, 2026----Easter Island, Chile---8am-5:30pm--Anchored Using Ship Tenders---Partly Cloudy--80 Degrees--16mph Winds--73% Humidity---Casual Dress

Today's port of call was the ever-mysterious Easter Island with their even more fascinating statues called "moais".  If it wasn't for the presence of these giant volcanic statues dotted around the island, Easter Island or Rapa Nui as the locals call it, this would just be another island located in the middle of nowhere in the massive South Pacific Ocean.   And part of the mystery lies in the fact that it was so isolated that a very different culture emerged from the original Polynesian people that lived here. 

 

Of course, there were some excursions offered that offered a glimpse into the past and the story behind the evolution to what we see today.   Ancient cultures was a good place to start the learning process for 3  hours and $300.  Easter Island panorama drive was also 3  hours for $300.  Mystical moais and highlights was 4 hours and $310, while deep Easter Island culture was 3 hours for $420.  The most expensive was Easter Island Moai and umu feast where a complete meal was cooked underground on hot stones for 5  hours and cost $580.  You might wonder why the prices were so high.  We sure did, until we learned that a Rapa Nui National Park permit for $112 was needed to enter most of the areas where the moai were located.  And if you were doing an independent tour,  it was mandated that you hire a guide to take you into these park sights, such as the quarry.   Over the years, we have taken every tour with the exception of the umu feast and were quite happy to be on our own today.   One of the most fun tours we took was a drive around the island followed by a buffet lunch at Anakena Beach, about 12 miles from the tender pier.   This is one excursion they do not offer anymore.

 

As always, the ship was not cleared by the local authorities on time, so Erin had to announce for everyone to be patient and not line up at the stairs down to the platform.  Even though the tender tickets were being handed out at 8am, we have heard of many guests that lined up at 4am on previous stops here.   Those who had ship tours booked would get priority over all other groups. 

 

It looked like it was going to be a very nice and warm day on the island.   The winds were about 16mph and the temperature would reach close to 80 degrees.  Humidity was 73%, and from we gathered, there was no rain predicted.   If rain was in the forecast, we would have packed umbrellas. 

 

We headed off of the ship by 9:30am, but first with a stop at the Wajang Theater where we met with Kumar.  He escorted us down to deck A where we joined the end of the line for the next tender.    Although not really rough, it was taking some time loading the boats.  Despite the stern warnings of who should or should not go ashore,  it was quite apparent to us that lots of people ignored that warning.  The staff can only warn the folks about the possibility of accidents, but if you choose to ignore that advice, then you are on your own.   Cannot say they didn't tell us.

 

The rather smooth ride to the tender drop-off took about 20 minutes, but loading and unloading took another 40 minutes.  There were at least a dozen crew members to help us off the tender boat and up some steep steps to the parking lot.  The HAL excursions had been scheduled in the morning and afternoon, so not everyone had to go over all at once.  Shuttle buses, taxis, and personal vehicles were all parked here.  If you wanted a good photo of a moai, then you did not need to go any further.   There was one right here at the tender landing as well as numerous tables of souvenirs.  We already have one of the small moais from our first visit here, so how many more did we need?  

 

We began our hike from the small boat jetty towards the center of Hanga Roa, the main town here.  The walk is quite scenic with a series of moais and restored volcanic carvings perched on raised stone platforms.  We don't recall seeing all of these sculptures, so it is possible they have been added over the last few years.  Most all the statues and carvings date back to the 13^th to the 16^th  centuries created by the Polynesian settlers.  Their true meaning probably remains a mystery to this day.  Modern day scientists have yet to come up with a proven theory even to the mystery of how these statues were transported. 

 

Scanning the hillsides and mountain tops, we noticed there is a barren landscape with few trees.  At one time centuries ago,  trees were everywhere but were used for fuel and also for transporting the large moais to where we see them on the coastline.   In time, they  had used all of the trees, never thinking ahead of planting more in their place.  Coconut palms were a main source of food for the natives as well, but a type of native rats consumed all of the seeds these trees produced.  In time they were gone.  Erosion took a toll on the planting grounds and made the soil unsuitable for crops.  Sadly, the population declined and the culture almost disappeared.   

 

There are from 5000 to 8000 residents today on Easter Island, many of which are seasonal workers from mainland Chile.   Only a very small percentage are related to the indigenous settlers.  The remainder are mixed with Chilean people, and their official language is Spanish.  Many of the tourist-related natives speak English too.   Catholicism is the main religion.

 

There are about 3000 cars or trucks on the island, and that does not include the many motorcycles we saw.   There are nearly 2000 horses on this island, including the ranch horses and wild ones.  It is not uncommon to see some of the wild ones grazing anywhere they wish.  Higher in the hillsides, there are ranches that also raise cattle and some sheep.  

 

The electricity on the island is generated by diesel engines with the fuel imported from mainland Chile.  The power in the more highly dense towns is cut off for 2 hours once a week to preserve the fuel supply.  One piece of info that is a positive for the natives is that there are flights from Santiago often, if not daily.   It is far quicker to fly here than come by ship.

 

Unfortunately, today was a Sunday, and many venues were closed.  Those included stores, restaurants, cafes, and even the wharf where the local fishermen worked.  When we got to the center of town, the small colorful fishing boats were tied up without any activity happening around them.   Usually we go and wander around the small outboard motorboats and get to see the catch of the day which the fellows are preparing to sell to the local restaurants.  

 

We passed the restaurant Pea, where we always stop for lunch and beers.  They were closed today, but there were some other smaller venues that looked like possibilities.  But first we needed to make our way to the seven standing moais located on the coastline where no one needs the park permit.  That would take us past the bars and lounges where a fairly new entertainment stage was set up in a grassy area on the waterside.  Over the years, we have watched the progress on this venue, and from what we learned from a waitress, there is a huge Polynesian concert or competition that is held here.  It draws people from everywhere.  

 

Continuing on, we hiked to the local cemetery that has the most commanding view of the Pacific Ocean.    Walking through the parking lot, we found the path to the moais, passing some of those horses along the way.  Obviously well fed, they are like pets here.  The best photos can be taken from up high without walking down into the crater and taking pictures right in front of the statues.  While chatting with some of our buddies on the slopes, one of us leaned against a pipe railing at a small pile of sacred rocks.  It wasn't long before a park ranger lady came and politely asked me to move away from the fencing.  The sign by the pile of remains stated do not cross over the fence (more or less), but I sort of knew I might be in trouble.  It did not say do not lean here.  We read later that one lady egregiously violated the rules to the point of a $17000. USD fine.  Wow…. 

 

Usually, we walked beyond this site and a bit further up where there is a nice small kiddie park with benches.  One of us will take a break, while the other went further exploring the sites.  This was as good a place as any to turn around and head back.  It was very warm and we did not bring a lot of water with us.  And it was time to search for an alternate place for lunch and much needed beverages….namely beer.

 

Before we left the ship, we had searched for pizza, and did locate a restaurant called La Pizzeria (like in Papeete), but were not sure how far off of the main coastal drive it was.  So as much as we looked forward to sinking our teeth into a Margherita pizza, we opted for a smaller venue on the way back.  It was Le Boulangerie with a most-inviting patio with a few empty tables.  By the name, we first thought it was like a bakery, but they had a full- service daily menu with many choices, none of which was pizza.  First thing we ordered were the local beers which were called Mahina Pia Rapa Nui Motu Lager and more than likely brewed in or around Santiago, Chile.   Then we ordered one Americano chicken sandwich to share.   It came with a dip of homemade mayo and was plenty big enough for two.  The homemade bun was filled with moist sliced chicken breast, cheese, bacon, ham, lettuce, cucumber, and marinated red onions.   No sides served with it.   We did add a slice of delicious apple pie with a lattice top crust.  Excellent, also homemade.  They did accept American Express and the total bill including a tip came to under $40 USD.   At home, that price would not even cover the beers.  And being able to relax on their patio watching the people and cars pass by was perfect.  Pizza will have to wait for Papeete.

 

Back at the tender jetty, we spotted a sizable green turtle swimming and diving for algae that they eat off of the rocks.  Even with two little kids swimming nearby, the turtle was not scared off.   It surfaced often enough for us to get some good shots of the multi-colored shell.  We do know that turtle soup is a common meal in these parts.

 

The return ride back to the ship was regulated with the addition of tender tickets.  We were #29 and were called within minutes.  There was a group of crew members waiting to go back, but they had to wait until the guests were loaded first.   There was still room and they rode back with us.  The process worked well, except loading some of the guests was tedious so say the least.  And they do it with a smile, bless them.    It was a longer ride than we recalled because of the low tide, the ship had to be anchored further away.  Comparing this transfer with the one in the Falkland Islands, today was a piece of cake. 

 

We chilled out in our room working as usual on the day's photos.  All aboard was supposed to be after 5:30pm, but at 6:30pm, there was no indication that we were leaving.   Finally, the Captain came on at 6:45pm, and said we were late, but had no explanation.  We knew that three of the tenders were still off-loading guests from a late tour, so it was closer to 7:30pm before we left the island.  The Captain thanked his crew once again for an excellent job and we had 1019 nautical mile to reach Pitcairn Island in a few days.  Tomorrow  the required speed will be 17 knots with 20 mph winds and partly cloudy skies with temps in the high 70's.   The sea swells would be no more than 6 feet, and he advised us all to be careful in and around the ship. 

 

Dinner time found us ordering South American tostadas with chili con carne, lettuce and cheese.  If we had thought to have two each, that would have been plenty for dinner, along with our Caesar salads.  Mains were one enchilada plate with shredded beef….enough for both us.  And the other entr?e was a fried pork chop with rice.  Desserts were one scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sliced banana, both served with a little bit of fudge sauce. 

 

Good news was that the clocks went back one hour tonight.  And we heard through the grape vine that we will be doing "back one hour" for about 5 more days after that before arriving to Papeete, Tahiti.  That should be interesting…..

 

Looking forward to two lazy days at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

327 Pictures

Report #46 Saturday, February 14, 2026---Sea Day #4 Of 4---Enroute To Easter Island, Chile---Partly Cloudy---75 Degrees---75% Humidity---12.7mph Wind--Calm Seas---6' Swells--Speed 19.2 Knotts-----Formal Dress

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

 

We heard there was a nice rainbow on the starboard side early this morning.  That did not surprise us since we noticed the veranda and the railing were soaked.   So far, every day has started out very overcast, then partly cloudy, and eventually mostly sunny.    No doubt, it was quite warm this morning as well.  The rocking and rolling had decreased, which is a good thing. 

 

We all got a very detailed letter regarding tender operations in Easter Island.  Due to prevailing water and wind conditions, the transfer may be significantly impacted.  Reading between the lines, we think that means boarding the tenders and off-loading on the island will be time-consuming.   As these conditions are out of their control, we can expect delays.   Naturally, the tour groups will be taken off first, which might take some extra time. 

 

In addition to that,  we are being forewarned about possible muddy conditions once ashore as well as sudden rain showers.  Safety comes first, so there were directions on how to accept help from the trained crew.  Don't need to tell us twice.   The last message concerned wheelchairs and scooters which cannot be accommodated.  With all that said, we do think many more folks will be scared to attempt the tenders tomorrow. 

 

We have been to Easter Island numerous times and have seen many unusual situations from ceased tendering due to high winds, cancelled tours, damaged tender boats, and many grumpy people that never made it to the island.  We have friends that got stranded there years ago and had to spend the night.   And at other times, all went well.   So it's the luck of the draw.

 

Later in the evening, we had another flyer, the same as the one we got when we left Florida.  It was regarding safety and security while in the ports.  The Captain cannot stress enough the importance of being careful, dressing wisely, leaving the big bags and backpacks on the ship.  And most of all, leave the expensive jewelry in the safe.  Negotiating taxis and flashing money can become a problem.   We expect this same letter will be delivered with every major segment.

 

During his noon talk, the Captain said we were still over 300 nautical miles from Easter Island and are still maintaining a speed a bit over 19 knots.  The weather was as good as could be expected with temps in the high 70's and the humidity about equal.  The sea water is even warmer than the air temperature at 77 degrees.   The swells are about 6 feet high, still creating some rocking and rolling.   

 

We sat at the back pool and noticed that it had been filled.  We think the color of the paint was the same…..very dark.  It has finally warmed up enough to make certain we use that sunscreen before going outside.  Captain Rens happened to stop by our table and he remarked that the color of the pool had to be changed.  Funny that the paint crew did not get that message. 

 

The Valentine theme followed through with today's activities.  Since there seems to be a shortage of fresh flowers, the Pinnacle Grill decorated with folded red napkins that resembled flowers.  They had another specialty dinner with a curated 4 course meal.  These pop-ups seem to be happening almost 50% of the time. 

 

The dress suggestion was formal this evening and we did see a whole lot of red, especially with the ladies.   Dinner had some of the usual formal entrees, but last night, there seemed to be more.   We had the everyday shrimp cocktail followed by salads.  One was a wedge salad, and large enough to be an entree.  One of us had the vegetarian raviolis, and the other had the rack lamb, which could have been hotter.  We keep forgetting to ask our waiters for hot food.  Most nights, the entrees have been warm at best.  Desserts were a chocolate heart and one scoop of vanilla ice cream with a touch of hot fudge sauce.    Long stemmed roses in red and pink were handed to each lady in both dining rooms.  Many guests used their empty wine bottles to put the roses in.  We will improvise with something in our room

 

Ready or not….Easter Island, here we come (maybe).

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #45 Friday, February 13, 2026---Sea Day #3 Of 4---Enroute To Easter Island, Chile---Partly Cloudy--Clearing To Sunshine---72 Degrees---73% Humidity---8.6mph Winds---Rough---6' Swells-----Casual Dress

Well, we are still rocking and rolling with the motion of the ocean, but not quite as much as in the beginning of the 4-day run.  On the plus side, the weather is warming up a little bit each and every day.  Another thing of interest is that today happens to be Friday the 13^th.    Not that we are particularly superstitious, but maybe we can say we are cautious on days like this. 

 

That kind of proved to be true when one of us went walking on the promenade deck this morning.  As with any ship, there is always the need for maintenance inside and outside.  So there happened to be a crew working on the promenade deck this morning repairing some piping overhead.  Out of the blue, one of the 6-foot-long heavy pipes came crashing down, barely missing some of the surprised guests.   All the more reason to cordon off the workspace or close the deck temporarily.  It is not the first time something like that has happened and probably not the last.  

 

In the meantime, our twice a month delivery of 40 sodas arrived with the gift cards saying "With compliments of the Mariner Society".   So far we have not run completely out of our beverages.  But now that the warmer weather is ahead of us, we may run out. 

 

In case we forgot to mention this, the laundry service has been outstanding.  If we turn in a bag in the morning, it has been returned by late afternoon.  Sometimes we put a bag out before dinner, and that comes back early the next day.  Most times there are cute messages in the baskets from the laundry crew saying that they hope we like their service.  You bet we do.  What is there not to like, with the exception of getting a stranger's underwear over a month ago. 

 

We spent about an hour at the Seaview Pool getting to know the deck crew better.  Today we tried the ice-cold lemonade, as suggested by Ramon.  And it was just right.  So far there has been no progress on the repairs to the aft pool.    And it is still painted almost black & blue on the sides and bottom.  The executive housekeeper, Metka, stopped by for a chat.  It seems that noon is their time for lunch, and most of the officers and staff prefer the Lido, then dine out back getting some much-appreciated sunshine.   

 

Captain Rens came on with the daily weather and position report.  We are doing a speed of 19 knots with about a 6-foot sea swell.  He remarked that the conditions are very good for this part of the Pacific Ocean.  Overcast skies earlier, turned into mostly sunny skies in the afternoon.   The temperature had climbed to 77 degrees with the sea temps near the same.  There was also a mention that we are in the middle of nowhere with the nearest land being Easter Island…… another 825 nautical miles away. 

 

For those who seek arts and crafts and related activities, there were plenty of them today.  Water coloring had three sessions, sit and knit continued for a three-hour option, and craft projects had one class at 2:30pm in the Lido Marketplace.    Creative writing was another option which was held in the Wajang Theater.    Lectures continued with the subject of map makers and Easter Island and the mystery surrounding it.   Trivia continues to keep the folks on their toes.  Promotions for Valentine's Day were off the charts.

 

We had an invitation to another combined cocktail reception with President's Club, Pinnacle Suite, and Neptune guests held in the Explorer's Lounge.  The room had been converted from chairs to individual tables and chairs for four beginning at 6:30pm to 7:30pm.    We were greeted by a line-up of officers beginning with Jonah and several of the staff.  Florin was there, but we did not see the Captain.  We took a table where we could see most of the whole room and were joined by Amy.  Officers mingled with the guests and we were graced with the company of Florin's assistant, a very lovely young lady from the Philippines.  Then we were able to chat with Josh, we believe is the Travel Director, who graced us with his singing talents a few days ago at the awards ceremony.   Turns out we were from the same area of the San Francisco Bay Area.  Small world.  Josh had some wild and crazy stories of his early life in the city, keeping the three of us well entertained.  The party lasted well after 7:30pm, then we had to head to dinner.  

 

Tortilla soup had been suggested in the Daily newsletter, but we sure did not see it on the menu tonight.  So we both ordered different salads and mains of prime rib.  That entree always comes with very generous slices of meat, veggies and a whopping Yorkshire pudding.  No dessert tonight. 

 

The entertainment was a performance called Supernova Duo vocalists with Fleetwood Mac type of music.  And the movie tonight was appropriate with Freaky Friday. 

 

We were happy to call it a night.  Passing through the Mix and the Ocean Bar after dinner, we are always bombarded with plenty of super loud music….enough to last the rest of the evening.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #44 Thursday, February 12, 2026---Sea Day #2 Of 4---Enroute To Easter Island, Chile---Partly Cloudy---70 Degrees---64% Humidity---7.7mph Winds---Rough---9' Swells-----Casual Dress

It sure was nice to be greeted with a brilliant sunrise early this morning, which prompted a few pictures.  A time change can make a difference in the timing of these sights. 

 

Today was one of lectures and promotions.  We have new speakers onboard, Ruth Sinai, who spoke about who really discovered America.  Then there is Howard Krug, who lectured on sailing around the world 500 years ago and now.   The other talk was all about Rapa  Nui or Easter Island….better timing since we should be there in a couple of days. 

 

We should be there in Easter Island as long as the conditions permit it.  So far we are still experiencing pitching and rolling, but not as severe as when we left the mainland of Chile.   According to the Captain's report, we still have 1313 nautical miles to go to Easter Island at an average speed of 19 knots.  The temperature today was 70 degrees and the winds were 7.7 mph.  And hopefully dying down.  It was overcast with brief periods of sun and the sea swells were 9 feet. 

 

Sitting at the Sea View pool, we enjoyed some of that brief sunshine sitting at a table near the bar.  All of the side tables and chairs were lashed down and there were very few unoccupied lounges on both sides of the now empty pool.  There were workmen doing repairs inside the pool, which has been painted a dark navy blue.  It sure looks like the same paint they use on the hull of the ship.  The Staff Captain happened to come back there to inspect the work.  He said they cannot leave the dark color on the bottom of the pool since you would never see if someone had gone under by accident.  Oddly enough, the Lido pool was also empty for repairs as well.   They sure got that timing wrong. 

 

We asked one of the nice bar attendants why there were no small tables set up.  He said everything had to be tied down due to the high winds.  He hopes it gets better the closer we get to the island.

 

Lunch was mini burger sliders from room service.  It is a good way to limit what we eat at lunch.  If we went to the Lido, there are always too many tempting things to try.  And then you end up eating too much. 

 

Today we received an invitation to a Chocolate Afternoon Tea which will be held in Sydney on March 7^th.  But it will be on the Zaandam, which will be docked at Circular Quay, lucky dogs.   The special Culinary Ambassador Jacques Torres will host the 1pm to 2pm tea in the Zaandam's dining room.  A complimentary shuttle will take the guests from here between 11:45am and 12:15pm.   Return shuttles will take the folks back after the event.  We have to inform guest services by 8pm Friday February 20^th if we are going. 

 

We suspect that many people on our ship will be on tours at that time, or like us, galivanting about town on our own.  And the same goes for the Zaandam's guests.  So we have not decided whether or not to attend.  

 

Dinner was interesting with more choices we have not seen on the menu.    One of us ordered the crab cakes and the other turkey soup.  Both were very good.  We each had a different salad, followed by mains of sweet and sour chicken with carrots and rice topped with rice noodles.  We did have dessert with one chocolate-filled eclair and one sliced banana with hot fudge sauce.  And the better news of the night is that the clocks will go back one more hour.  That is fine with us.  Now we will be on eastern time, the same as NYC. 

 

A unique musical visionary with David and Dawn (a married couple) was the entertainment this evening.  Promised to be unlike anything you've seen before, we watched as the dining room emptied out by 8:45pm, just in time for them to get good seats in the World Stage.  

 

So much for day two at sea.  Two more to go……

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

18 Pictures

Report #43 Wednesday, February 11, 2026---Sea Day #1 Of 4---Enroute To Easter Island, Chile---Partly Cloudy---66 Degrees---65% Humidity---18mph Winds---Rough---12' Swells----Casual Dress

The first thing we noticed when turning on the TV early this morning was that the safety video was up and running.   Even though we did not have to do the muster drill yesterday, we did receive a letter from the Captain with all of the instructions for a real incident.   Must be maritime law that we are up to date on the general emergency procedure.  And it sure doesn't hurt that we know the details very well.  Once the video was complete, the regular programming came back on.  

 

At breakfast today, we found out there had been some unfortunate incidents yesterday with some of the guests.  While on an independent tour with a small group of friends, two people were robbed while in a restaurant.  It was described as a small venue with a limited number of tables and chairs on a patio.  One lady's purse and a backpack had been lifted with the robber taking off on a run.  We think he escaped with cell phones and debit cards among other valuables.  Then we heard about more folks having falls while in town, and one was injured while at a horse show tour.   All the more reason to watch every step we take, and most of all, not to carry large bags or purses. 

 

We have to make a slight correction on the actual time the Volendam departed the port of San Antonio yesterday.   Technically, it was 11:30pm and not the stated 10:30pm.  One of us had already turned the clocks back one hour well before we sailed out of the harbor.   So today when the Captain came on with the noon update stating we left before midnight, we had to think about that.  Currently he was doing a speed of 17.8 knots to make up some of the lost time.    We still have 1740 nautical miles to go to reach Easter Island.   The temperature was 66 degrees and the winds were 13 knots.  However, the sea swells were well over 12 feet causing a lot of pitching as well as rolling.  Fort most of the day, we all had a fine time walking around the ship.  He predicted the swell should decrease by tomorrow, so in the meantime he cautioned us to be most careful.  He added that the days will be getting warmer. 

 

As always, we kept busy all day, not wanting to risk doing a lot of walking.   There was another crew drill in the morning with the promenade deck closed to walking.   One of us that has kept up the daily hike went outside after the drill.  Few others were out there. 

 

There was a block party today with the chance to meet the new neighbors that boarded yesterday.  Complimentary wine was served on all passenger decks, but we are not sure if there was any food served.  Hard to eat snacks and hold a glass at the same time, while holding on with the motion of the ocean. 

 

Sometime in the late afternoon, we passed Robinson Crusoe Island on the port side.   Captain Rens mentioned this in his noon talk.  We have only been there once, and thought it was pretty neat.  Shortly after we left the island back in 2010, there was a tsunami that wiped out much of where we had been standing.  So sad.   Today the population is under 1000 people.  We learned that we came within 18 miles of the island and were able to take several photos of the famous place.  The photos were a little grainy, but acceptable. 

 

With the time change, we actually had the opportunity to see a sunset and take a few pictures.   It was a nice one at that.  Now we will have to watch for the sunrise tomorrow morning as well.

 

Tonight we had reservations for dinner in the Pinnacle.   It was just a regular evening, not a pop-up.   The manager admitted that the pop-up dinners have gotten popular and they seem to fill this restaurant better than the regular dinners.  We had our favorite wedge salads with clothesline bacon on the side.  Mains were Chilean sea bass and one small filet mignon.    We shared one order of French fries….the skinny ones.   There were no more than 19 people dining in there tonight, so our dinner was seamless.  No room for dessert, we were done by 9pm. 

 

Showtime featured a singer by the name of Michael  "Big Mike" Lynche.  And the appropriate movie in the Wajang was Mutiny on the Bounty with Marlon Brando.  Sitting at our window table in the Pinnacle, we did see a few folks sneak into the room to grab a few bags of popcorn.   And for that reason, they always make enough to cover it.  

 

So much for sea day #1 on the way to Easter Island.

 

Bill And Mary Ann

 

34 Pictures

Report #42 Tuesday, February 10, 2026---San Antonio, Chile--7am-4:30pm----Docked Starboard Side To Pier---Mostly Sunny----68 Degrees---79% Humidity---3mph Winds-----Casual Dress

Today's port of call was San Antonio, Chile and a port that we have only been to once back in 2020.  The stop here was always Valparaiso, a very nice resort-type of a city and very walkable.  For some reason and from what we have heard, the larger cruise ships were not welcomed to dock there anymore.  The new facilities in Valparaiso appear to appeal to the upper end of the cruise ships such as Seabourn, Regent, or Silverseas.   If we wanted to visit there today, we would have had to book a tour as it was over 50 miles away from San Antonio. 

 

The Volendam arrived nice and early to find the P & O Aurora already docked.  That ship is a little bigger than us with 76,000 gross tons and 1874 passengers.  The crew numbers 850 and  seems to have more of the British or Australian guests depending on where the cruise initiates. 

 

So what is there to do here?  The ship offered easy San Antonio and villages for 4  hours and $100 with a snack.  Isla Negra and museum was $110 for 3  hours.  Panoramic landscapes and a winery was 4 hours for $110.  Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar was 6  hours for $140.  Highlights of Santiago was 8  hours for $180 with lunch, while the best of Valparaiso with lunch was $180 for 7 hours.  Wine and horses was 6  hours for $230.  Two tours for guests leaving the ship today were transfers to Santiago for 9  hours and $200 with a lunch.  The second transfer was also to Santiago and a winery for 9 hours with lunch and $230.  The drive to Santiago one way was 1 ?  hours.  We remember it because we flew home from there many years ago.  

 

It was going to be a very nice day with blue skies and temps in the high 60's.  The humidity was 79% with 3.2 mph winds.    The wind speed would increase later in the day and become a problem.

 

There was a crew drill held at 9:30am with "man overboard".  That always gets our attention.  And it was a good time to leave the ship for us around 10am.  We did the same thing we did 6 years ago, and that was take a hike to a harbor promenade and shopping mall.     But first, we did recall that the port did not allow pedestrian traffic, so we had to take a shuttle from the ship to the port entrance and terminal.  It was a five minute or so ride in very nice coaches.  Once inside the terminal, we all had to go through xray.  That's when we spotted something really funny.  There is always a sign with warnings about what not to bring ashore.  No food, sandwiches, fruit, animals or beverages other than water and today coffee was allowed.  So before we went through the checkpoint, we noticed someone had left a bag of popcorn in the bin that we get in the Wajang Theater.   Guess they figured it was not worth the fine for such a small forbidden snack.  

 

Paseo Bellamar was the name of the harbor promenade where there were views of the bay, local shops, benches and street vendors.  Many fast-food mini cafes lined the waterfront.  Ice cream and popsicles were sold from stands or ladies pulling  Styrofoam boxes.    Even though today was Tuesday, this area was plenty busy with locals….many dragging their little kids along.  There were plenty of stands with balloons, sweets, and toys to keep the little ones happy. 

 

There were so many small fishing boats in this little harbor that we lost count.  The colors were brilliant and bright, making for really great photos.   This has to be one of the largest fishing hubs in the country. 

 

At the end of this promenade was a fish market, similar to the one we saw in Puerto Montt.   It was smelly, but no worse than any other fish markets in other locations around the world.  Everything seafood was offered for sale including take-away cerviches in plastic containers. All of the produce was really nice, but we did see boxes labeled "shipped from Ecuador".

 

The big draw to this market has to be the giant sea lions that will come here to beg for fish scraps.  One such male was laying on the rocks, and had been fighting at some point.  He was left with some ugly bruises.  These are the Patagonian sea lions we saw in Puerto Montt two days ago.   The males we saw here could weigh up to 770 pounds and are about 7 feet in length.    They have very large heads with a pug-like nose and a prominent light color mane.  They commonly dine on fish, squid, and octopus or anything else that gets handed to them.  They like to bask in the sun on beaches or large smooth rocks, like we saw in the fjords a few days ago.   The females which we did not see today can weigh 330 pounds and wean their pups at 12 months.  It is estimated there are 265,000 of them left in the wild.  

 

One huge sea lion, a male, had beached itself right below the fish market.  Laying over, it appeared lifeless.  However, it was watching through squinted eyes, because one of us went right down within several feet of it, and took some pictures.  Hello……that's what the zoom on the camera is for.  One of us did not go down to the sandy beach because I knew I could not run fast enough to escape this monster if it decided it did not like us that close.   Suddenly, the sea lion stood up on its front fins and must have been well over 6 feet in height.  By now, Bill had company as other guests had to get close-up pictures as well.  Eventually, sea lion decided he was tired of the attention and slithered out into the surf and dove into the bay. 

 

Very close to this beach was a pier where local people were taking small boats to somewhere.  Not sure if this was a water taxi pier or a tour of the bay dock.  Watching the stream of folks boarding the boats, they looked like they were touring the harbor where the two cruise ships were docked.  We could hear narration in Spanish as they left the market dock.  This was also a spot where the sea lions congregated for the free handouts of fish scraps. 

 

At the end of this market was a mall, which was accessed by stairs or ramps to a lower level group of stores.   These were more like convenient shops for snack-like food, a pharmacy, and a few trinket stores.  By going up an escalator, we entered the mall that was split it two sections.  The name of this mall was IPolar with the usual department stores, electronics, cosmetics, jewelry, and pharmacies.  The key occupant looked like a Levi shop.   There were restrooms, which we took advantage of.  Not needing anything at this mall, we exited and headed back to the promenade avenue.  Had we walked through the second floor of this mall, we would have entered the Plaza de Armas with colonial history, walkways, sea lion and boat scenery, and a handful of restaurants and some banks.  There did not seem to be a suitable restaurant for us, let alone a pizzeria, in this entire area.   There was an upper level in the mall that offered typical fast-food restaurants such as Subway.

 

Today almost 200 people left the ship and about the same number boarded.  We returned to the terminal by 1pm and ran into Florin who asked how we liked the Mariner Event yesterday.  We let him know his idea of adding the entertainment was brilliant, especially having Josh, the travel guide , sing for us.  Remarking how talented we thought he was, Florin informed us that Josh had a 20 year career as an opera singer.  We knew he was far more advanced in his training and was not a karaoke star.  We suggested a repeat performance would be welcomed in the future.  And on a side note, we informed Florin that his name had been omitted on our complimentary photo from the Mariner event.  He had a very surprised look and said he would investigate that. 

 

It was a room service lunch with Cobb salads a one mini slider each.  Their salads are far better through room service than in the dining room at night….more like entr?e size.  Then at 3:30pm, the Captain announced that it was mandatory for the newly embarked guests to attend the muster drill by scanning their room keys.  The rest of us were fine.  More information would come at a later announcement by the Captain, which we figured would be around 4:30pm the all aboard time.

 

But the announcement never came until 5:30pm , when Captain Rens told us the port was closed to traffic by the local authorities, and we would not be leaving due to winds over 15 knots.   We happened to notice that we were still bunkering fuel, but that was not mentioned.  And the P&O ship was also docked, not leaving either.  We still have 2000 nautical miles to reach Easter Island but have four sea days to do it.  Captain Rens promised fairly good weather, but we may expect some motion of the ocean (understatement).    There would be no problem making up the lost time. 

 

We were still docked at our dinner time of 7:45pm.  The winds did not appear to be all that bad and had definitely dropped well below the 15 knots level.  But here we were still docked.  Dinner was a bowl of different chicken soup and a salad.  Mains were huli-huli chicken with macaroni salad and one sliced beef brisket with mashed potatoes and veggies which resembled the short rib dish.  Both were delicious although could have been hotter.   We did not notice too many new guests in the upper dining room, so we expected they went to the welcome onboard steak dinner in the Lido instead.  No dessert tonight for us.

 

The ship finally left the port at 10:30pm where we felt the motion of the ocean instantly.  We suspect the four days at sea heading due west to Easter Island may be a rough ride. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

314 Pictures