Our last day at sea on the way to New Zealand was a pleasant one weather-wise. News-wise? Well that was something else. Need we say more?
Being that today was a Sunday at sea, it was brunch in the dining room from 10am to 1pm. Our hosts organized a group set of tables to attend the brunch, meeting in the Explorer's Lounge at 10:50am. You would be on your own if you wanted to purchase drinks. As for us, we enjoy our breakfasts earlier in the morning and would not give up our spot at 8am.
The replacement two-week delivery of our 40 Coke Zeros arrived and this time they were dated into mid-April and will not expire by tomorrow. They apologized but got it right and it did not take a week to do it.
We also received a New Zealand and Australia biosecurity regulations form reminding us of items that cannot be taken ashore. That includes fruit and veggies, meats, sandwiches, dairy products, eggs, honey, flowers, seeds, or plants, and all other food products (fresh, processed, or packaged). Only commercially bottled drinking water is allowed to leave the vessel. At any time, hand luggage, handbags, and backpacks may be inspected. In addition, there is a current outbreak of foot and mouth disease in several overseas countries. There may be increased screenings if we had been in contact with livestock. Shoes and clothing must be clean and free of soil or organic matter.
After going for a promenade deck walk, dodging the painters, drilling and sanding teams, we went to the Seaview Pool to get some sun. And lemonade. It was quite nice back there with some sun and a light breeze. Captain Rens came on with his noon update, and said the temperature was 70 degrees with 78% humidity. The winds were 17.4 mph and the ship was doing an average of 14 knots. We had another 226 nautical miles to reach Auckland early tomorrow morning. The skies were partly cloudy and partly sunny and no rain. There was a 6 foot swell and some motion of the ship but not pronounced.
On the way back to our room, we passed through the Lido poolside and noticed the tables had notes on them stuck in between the salt and pepper shakers. It reminded the guests NOT to take any food from the ship in New Zealand or Australia. If you ignored this notice, you could be fined $400. This has to be the first time we ever saw messages left for everyone to see. You would be hard-pressed to say I did not know about the restrictions and play dumb. One time while visiting Melbourne Australia, one of the agricultural officers asked to check my handbag. He had a cute little beagle dog, who dipped his whole head into my opened bag. Satisfied that nothing was there, the officer handed me a little dog pin for my cooperation. So you never know, and for that reason, we never take any food off the ship when told not to.
Today was the final one with the Polynesian ambassadors, a group of four lovely ladies. We have seen them meeting in the Seaview Pool area for a Lido lunch. They like the sushi bar it appears.
The day was filled with promotions from the shops as well as activities to keep the guests busy. Then there was a Seafood Boil in the Lido for dinner which costs $35 we believe. There was a German Lunch in the Pinnacle Grill (for a price). We went to the dining room like we always do, and had salads, one skewered chicken appetizer, and one bowl of chicken noodle soup. I do not care for creamy soups, so my standby is the room service soup. Our entrees were the same……New Zealand lamb chops, tasty but on the tough side. Once you have ordered the grilled lamb chops in the Pinnacle, you will be spoiled since they are always tender and savory. That same rule goes for the steaks. The dining room steaks are OK, but nowhere near as good as the Pinnacle.
Dessert was one slice of a chocolate tart, and a plate of watermelon.
By 8:30pm, many folks left the room to attend the Glamp Out which was held in the Lido Poolside. We strolled through one of these events and found make-believe campfires with people "roasting" marshmallows on a stick over the fake fire. We seem to remember that all of the seating was gone, taken by the early diners, so we went out one door, and back inside within a few minutes. Snacks and s'mores were not what we needed after a big dinner anyway. And there was entertainment in the World Stage with singer, Daniel Thompson with classic country music mainly Johnny Cash tunes.
We are more than ready for two full days in Auckland where we will be on the lookout for Hokey Pokey ice cream.
Bill & Mary Ann
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