Report #60---Friday, October 30, 2026---Sea Day #5 Of 6---Enroute To Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia---Partly Cloudy--84 Degrees---75% Humidity---12.6mph Winds---Ships Speed 13 Knots----Casual Dress

There was another fabulous sunrise this morning around 5:37am indicating we would have another fine day at sea.   Who's up that early?   Certainly, not me.   I am more than happy to see the photos.  

 

The temperature was already 84 degrees with 75% humidity at 10am.  The winds were 12.6 mph and it appeared they were not following winds from the way the waves crested.  The ship's speed was 13 knots.

 

We completed some computer work, made an attempt at gathering future port info in an attempt to catch up.  It  worked. 

 

We mentioned that the shore excursion channel was showing the system had gone awry.   In other words, it was broken.  Reporting it to Margaret, our rep, she promised to check it out.  She did find that not only was the TV channel not working, but also the Navigator app was awry.   She followed through with this and by golly, the channel was working this morning.    How about that?    It pays to speak up. 

 

Taking our morning stroll on the promenade deck, we saw that the ship's wake was way off.  Only the starboard side seemed to be operating full power, the portside propeller, not so much.  The max speed so far on this cruise has not exceeded 18 knots, so whatever problem there was previously, is not fixed yet.  We would have the opportunity to find out more info later this evening.

 

At his noon update, Captain Thomas said we were 1570 nautical miles from Kona and have another 563 nautical miles left to reach Rangiroa at a speed of 15 knots.  We had a 7-foot swell which is considered smooth in this part of the world.  At the time of his talk, we were passing some of Kiribati's remotest islands a couple of hundred miles away.  These islands have chosen to be on the other side of the dateline, so they are the first to start the new day. 

 

All of the Polynesian activities were in full swing such as bracelet-making, water coloring, ukulele playing, Polynesian music and dancing, and a Tahiti port talk. 

 

We had a special invitation to a President's Club Dinner and cocktails starting at 5:15pm in the Mix bar.   We lucked out and were seated near the chief engineer who was very informative regarding the situation with the ship's propulsion.  As we suspected, the portside engine is not working.  It has been dis-assembled to be fixed on the ship.  It should be back together and operational by the time we reach San Diego on November 19th.   To complicate the matter, all of the work had to be done on the ship. The work on the outside like painting etc. cannot be accomplished while in certain port areas of this sailing.   That includes Alaska and the South Pacific.  In addition, the speed of the ship can be assisted with the currents and following winds.  That was the case while in Alaska, but not the case now.  The best the Zaandam can do is 13 knots.  

 

Dinner followed in the King's Room at 6pm.  Everyone looked nice in their smart casual clothing and happy it was not a dressy night.   It has been on the warm side ever since crossing the Equator.  We asked Captain Thomas if the dark blue hull had an effect on the temperature of the ship's interior.  He said yes it did.   And there is a study being done to see if changing the color to a dove grey might solve that problem.  Most everyone likes the classy look of the dark hull, but if changing the paint helps, we say yes to the change.  

 

Another question came to light, and that was aimed at the color of the carpeting on all of the stairwells.  The dark blue strip of carpet at the last step is off-putting to one of us.  Perhaps it is your individual depth perception, but it throws many folks off.  The Captain said we were not far off asking that question, and there was a study being done to make changes there.  Anything that can be done to prevent falls is a step in the right direction.  .

 

Seated at assigned places in the King's Room, we were given a printed menu with tonight's choices.  The first course was a choice of tartare of beef tenderloin or baby beet salad.  The second course was a clear (tasteless) broth with chives and one ricotta parmesan dumpling.  A palate cleanser was grapefruit lychee sorbet, followed by a choice of halibut or ribeye.  We both ordered the ribeye, expecting something different.  One of us got a cut that was tender, while the other got an end cut that was tough.  Sadly, it was barely warm.  In hindsight, we should have had the halibut.    The vegetarian entree was a ravioli.  The last course was the best - an apple terrine Brule with pecan ice cream and creme Chantilly.  Wine flowed for those who drank it as well as sweet canopies and coffee.   From beginning to end, it was almost 4 hours.  A bit too long for those of us that have back problems.  It was a one-time occasion, and we all enjoyed the company of the Captain, chief engineer, staff captain, our good friend Rakesh, environmental officer, and Leonie, our hotel manager.   Thanks went to the chefs, our waiters, and Dwi, the dining room Matre'd.   Jacques the Cellar Master kept everyone well-hydrated. 

 

One thing was missing, and that was having a group photo taken by the ship's photographer.  Any other time, they are in both the dining room and Pinnacle Grill snapping shots.  Tonight, those with cellphones had the waiters taking personal pictures of the group.  We have always had a picture taken while everyone is seated from each end of the long table.  Tonight there were no photographers at all.  An oversight, or saving money?  Who knows.....  

 

There was a show tonight featuring Anita Newby with songs from Detroit.  The better show was the "dummies" that were placed in the stairwells for Halloween we assume.  Ghosts and goblins were more like it.  Tomorrow, Halloween, should be interesting...... 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

51 Pictures

Report #59---Thursday, October 29, 2026---Sea Day #4 Of 6----Enroute To Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia----Sunny With Clouds---84 Degrees---70% Humidity---4.3mph Winds---Ships Speed--13 Knots------Casual Dress

As we have mentioned, today should have been a visit to Fanning Island, Kiribati, but due to technical problems with the ship, it had to be cancelled.    For those who have never been there, it is a place like no other in that it has remained the same as it has for a very long time.....primitive.  Most of the villagers live in makeshift housing with shared facilities for cooking and cleaning.  Power is supplied by generators.  We never asked, but we think there is no sewer system, but there is fresh water from a massive lagoon and rainwater collectors.  Historically, seaweed and salt production took place here as well as harvesting the coconut palms.  Fishing is a lifeline here. 

 

During the day when we visited, we seldom saw any local men between 20 and 50.  They are out working for the day, leaving the women and children in the village to do the rest of the work.   Besides preparing meals, they tend the chickens and pigs and do the laundry by hand.  Everything is line dried.   In their spare time, they keep busy making shell beaded jewelry to sell to the tourists like us.   For the men among us, they like the shark tooth wooden carved knives. 

 

Their activities seem to revolve around school and church which is typical for island nations such as this one.   

 

Some of the guests from cruise ships like to bring gifts for them, mostly for the younger set.   Useful things like school supplies, books, or even coloring books.  Crayons are discouraged since they tend to melt in the heat of the tropics.   Basic health supplies are good such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, band aids, combs, and cosmetics for the teenage group and shampoos and soaps.   Trinkets that can be purchased online are popular with the little ones.   The only problem that arises is having enough for everyone.    On our last couple of stops here, the guests were requested not to hand out anything personally but give it to the officers who see it goes to the right place.  And in exchange for fresh coconuts, basic food supplies are trading with the natives.  That might include staples such as flour, sugar, dried eggs and milk.  The locals elders would not turn down a bottle or two of whiskey.  The islanders are subsidized by another country, but we have forgotten who.  At the very least, all of us were informed of the cancellation well before this 35-day cruise commenced, and people left the donations home.  

 

Captain Thomas came on with his update right on the dot.   He said we had crossed the Equator at exactly 9:27am and are now sailing in the southern hemisphere.  The temperature was a steady 84 degrees, with 70% humidity and light winds of 4.3 mph.  There was a 7-foot swell and the ship was doing 14 knots.  The Zaandam has sailed 1260 nautical miles from Kona and has another 883 nautical miles to go to reach Rangiroa.  The skies were partly cloudy and sunset will be 5:54pm and sunrise at 5:37am.    The days at the Equator are near to half and half.....half daylight, and half nighttime. 

 

We asked for our last bouquet to be re-done with a flat bottom container with Styrofoam instead of in a vase.    The flowers seem to keep much longer without the skunky water of a vase.  And less likely to fall over in rough seas.

 

The other job of the day was to turn in the passports for inspection with the local French Polynesian authorities.    They will be processed and returned by November 3rd.  We will not have to pack them with us when we go ashore.   

 

We had a light room service lunch and even a nicer walk on the promenade deck, where most every teak lounge was occupied.  Going to deck six forward, one of us filmed another sunset as well as the birds that have come back to roost on the flagpole.  Guess they are in for another night of rocking and rolling.     

 

Dinner had limited choices, which happens sometimes.  We both ordered the chicken empanadas, and one different salad.   The entrees were one cheese ravioli plate and one tenderloin steak with steak fries, the almost everyday alternate.  It wasn't bad at all.....tasty and tender.   Desserts were one scoop of coffee fudge ice cream, and one slice of lemon meringue cheesecake....also pretty good.  And we must mention the appearance of brand-new salt and pepper shakers in the dining room.  Gone are the grinders that often did not work.  The new metal ones are cylinder-shaped filled with granulated salt and pepper with the letters "S" and "P" holes stamped on the tops.    Thank you HAL.   Now we just have to work on replacing those old French onion soup urns.....

 

Showtime featured the singers and dancers with "Drive In" - music from the movies.   Did we mention that Elliot Finkel, the accomplished piano player, is onboard?   He gave an afternoon double-header concert yesterday afternoon.  He always "wows" the crowd.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

149 Pictures

Report #58---Wednesday, October 28, 2026---Sea Day #3 Of 6 Enroute To Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia---Clouds With Showers---82 Degrees---76% Humidity---12.6mph--Winds---Ships Speed 14 Knots---3' Swell---Casual Dress

Day number three at sea brought nice weather with it.  We did have some light showers and passing clouds, but the heat factor remains the same at 82 degrees with 76% humidity.  Winds have been light at 12.6 mph with a 3-foot swell. 

 

When we returned from breakfast, we had a knock on the door from the ship's florist with a vase of flowers for our final President's Club gift.  Since we have a healthy stash of Coke Zero's, we asked for one $60 beverage card instead.   Should work for some specialty coffees.   

 

Captain Thomas came on with his noon update with lots of news regarding our current position, which is 911 nautical miles from Kona and 1221 nautical miles to reach Rangiroa, French Polynesia.  We are nearing the Equator, and the trade winds and currents are pushing the vessel sideways.   Modern technology is keeping the ship sailing in the correct direction which is south.  The other news was that upon contacting King Neptune, the Captain discovered he was fully booked for a ceremony insuring our safe passage.   But be assured, the King will grant us a dispensation this one time.   Our actual crossing will be around 9am tomorrow morning. We bet that there will be a formal ceremony on our way back to San Diego after leaving Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas.   

 

Since we are approaching our next stop in a few days, we thought we might start adding some basic info on the area.  French Polynesia has five archipelagos spanning over 4167 square kilometers.   We do not have the exact formula to square miles, but suffice it to say, that is an area bigger than all of Europe, we seem to recall.  The Society Islands are the largest of the archipelagos with nine high islands and five atolls.  They are split into two groups.   The Windward Islands are Tahiti, Moorea, Maiao, Tetiaroa and Mehetia.  The Leeward Islands are Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Maupiti and some uninhabited islets.   

 

The Tuamotu/Gambia Archipelagos are the low islands and all of the atolls - Rangiroa and Fakarava among them.  The Australes Archipelago has five inhabited islands, and the Marquesas have twelve high islands without lagoons, a most powerful landscape. 

 

French is the official language for the 300,000 natives that reside here , however most Tahitians speak Reo Mao'hi and other similar dialects due to the fact the islands are so far apart.   English is widely spoken these days.   The exchange rate for the $US dollar is 100 Pacific French Francs more or less.  And not all credit cards are accepted .

 

We went to deck 6 forward to watch  the sunset, but never saw the actual sun due to extreme cloud cover.    What was more amusing was discovering three birds that decided to perch on the flagpole on the ship's bow.   Two boobies had found a perch midway up the pole,while a lone young frigatebird with a fuzzy white head took the very top of the pole.  Never saw that before.  And what a mess they were leaving on the deck.  We guess they will be spending the night bobbing up and down with the swells.  Enough fun....time for dinner.   

 

Back in the dining room, we ordered one calypso shrimp starter and one arancini plate with red sauce.   One of us had a salad while the other the tomato soup.   It was a toss-up as to who had the best entree.  It was either the turkey dinner or the chicken Parmigiana, which were both winners.  Desserts were one scoop of rocky road ice cream and a chocolate torte - more like flourless chocolate cake. 

 

There must have been a mistake in the entertainment listed, because we heard there was the funniest comedian on stage last night and not the World Stage Cast.  We will have to check out the funny man when he returns for another show. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

101 Pictures

Report #57---Tuesday, October 27, 2026---Sea Day #2 Of 6---Enroute To Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia---Broken Clouds--82 Degrees---77% Humidity--6,7mph Winds---Speed--14 Knots----Casual Dress

It's quite possible that we are still sailing in the doldrums, a specific area where the seas and winds can be problematic in that things seem to stand still.  In the olden days of sailing ships, to be stuck in the dreaded doldrums meant there was no wind to move the ship.  You were stranded until the winds picked up.   Definitely not a very scientific explanation, but basically understandable. 

Today's weather was far from the doldrums with temperatures in the low 80's and 77% humidity.   There was a 6.7 mph wind with scattered clouds, some rain showers and a swell of 3 feet.  The Zaandam has traveled 570 nautical miles from Kona and has an additional 1563 nautical miles to reach Rangiroa.   

It was a good day to make some progress with the blog, as well as take some walks during the course of the day.   Lunch was a room service salad and mini burger sliders - one each.  And a bowl of soup.  We kept it light because we were dining in the Pinnacle Grill tonight. 

The late afternoon perked up when one of us spotted some dolphins in the front of the ship.   Grabbing the camera, he was able to snap a lot of pictures, testing the repeating frames as they dove over and over.  There were so many in this pod, it was hard to count them all.  They put on quite a show as they raced in front of the ship.  That is a sighting we never expected to see out in the middle of this massive ocean. 

Then some boobies showed up and circled the ship diving for flying fish.  There wasn't a fabulous sunset tonight, actually it was more like a fizzle.   The dolphin and bird sightings made up for it.

Dinner was really good in the Pinnacle Grill.  Our table was ready and waiting for us as well.  It surprised us to see how many people were still arriving to eat this late.  We ordered our wedge salads on larger plates with 2 strips of candied bacon on the side.  One of us had the tasty and tender lamb chops, while the other had the small filet mignon cooked medium rare.   One serving of skinny fries was shared by both of us.  Desserts were the special Hawaiian pinacolada trifle in a jar, and one chocolate souffle.    One of the chefs was visiting around the tables of the guests, and when he stopped at our table, we let him know the meals were excellent.  We did have a question for him regarding the pastry tray served at breakfast.  We wanted to know why the blueberry muffins are the color green.  He thought about it then said it was due to the insides of the blueberries that are really tinted green.   When over-mixed, the berries get crushed and the green color invades the muffins.   The bakers do not have the time to fold in the fruit like we would do at home.   The chef was pleased that we asked the question and he had an answer.  He promised to visit us when we return for another meal in there. 

The entertainment for tonight was a team of performers (husband and wife) with modern instrumentalist and unique visual art.  It promised to be a high energy electrifying must-see show.   We missed it because we were still eating our dinners when the show began.  However, they have been on previous cruises and we saw it then. 

And so ends day two at sea.

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

284 Pictures

Report #56----Monday, October 26, 2026---Sea Day #1 Of 6---Enroute To Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia---Sunny With Some Clouds---81 Degrees---85% Humidity----12.2mph--Winds-----Dressy Dress

We have begun our 6-day stretch towards French Polynesia, and it is already heating up.   The temperature was 81 degrees with 85% humidity and that was at 9am.   The wind was 12.2 mph and the ship's speed was 14 knots.  We had clouds most of the day and some rain showers, typical in this part of the Pacific Ocean.  And we are heading due south, dropping like a rock, so to speak.  

 

This morning was a good time to catch up on reports.  It feels like we will never be caught up.  Captain Thomas came on with his daily update, half of what we missed because we did not have the TV on the bow channel soon enough.  The Zaandam was over 200 nautical miles from Kona, with a lot more to go to reach our next port in Rangiroa. The Captain gave a description of the atolls we will encounter as we sail over the ancient underwater landscape. 

 

We took a walk on the promenade deck checking out the condition of the ship's wake.  We saw little difference with the wake with the exception that there seemed to be more action on one side compared to the other.   We still have no idea if the problem the ship was having with the speed has been fixed. 

 

Going to the Seaview Pool for a while, we noticed there were many professional sunburnt passengers there laying in the hot sun.  There seems to be something about going home with a deep tan to say you have been on a hot weather cruise.  More so if you live in a cooler climate.  There was a small bird swooping overhead, making circles around the back of the ship.   Probably jumped ship in Kona yesterday.  We have our doubts that it will last 6 days at sea without fresh water and food.  It is strictly forbidden for anyone, including crew members, to feed or give water to these stray birds.  Sad, but true.

 

Back to our room, we ordered a room service lunch of one salad and a club sandwich.  We shared both.  We have to say that the entree salads from room service are the nicest onboard.   Some boobies appeared out of the blue, and we were able to use some different camera settings to obtain very crisp and clear pictures.   It is most difficult to photograph fast-flying birds while the ship is moving.

 

Sunset at 5:50pm was rather a nice one at 5:50pm.   Most people are in the dining room at this time and miss the show.   Dinner was dressy this evening, at least for most of the guests.  Starters for us were one French onion soup and a shrimp cocktail.  The urns for the soup have got to go, in my humble opinion.  They are getting beat up and sad looking.  Now they remind us of the large flower urns you might see in an English garden setting.  And one of us requested a Caesar salad without the dressing but added on the side.   Best idea yet, because the lettuce was crisp and cold....not limpy.   Our mains were rack of lamb, and a savory tenderloin steak.  Dessert was one scoop of chocolate/ chocolate chip ice cream and a slice of a decadent brownie cake.  

 

Tonight's entertainment was a Masquerade (not a ball) held in the World Stage at a one-time only 8:30pm.   The suggestion was to don a mask and dress to impress for a night of mystery and excitement.  A few guests wore masks they had made during the day, and they looked silly. Hey, whatever works for them is just fine with us.  

 

So much for day one at sea.  Five more to go......

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

171 Pictures

Report #55---Sunday, October 25, 2026---Kona, Hawaii, USA---Anchored Using Ships Tenders---7am-6pm---Broken Clouds---84 Degrees--79% Humidity---6.9mph-Winds-----Casual Dress

The Zaandam arrived early to Kona, and we were cleared by the local authorities before we even finished breakfast.  We did not dock today but tendered to shore since the ship was "parked" in the bay.  At anchor or held by the side thrusters is a more accurate description.

 

We stayed onboard until 10am, about the same time open tenders were announced.  A couple of days ago, all of the President's Club members got a note giving us priority tendering for the rest of the ports in Polynesia.  We assume the same perk went to the Neptune folks also.  We seldom use this service unless we want to go ashore early.   

 

What we did not realize was that it was Sunday and there were football games shown on the TV.  Once they were over, the guests left all at once.  We joined a line that went down the hallway on deck one.  We were in no rush since it was Sunday and things never open that early in town.  We estimate it took up to an hour by the time we arrived at the Kailua Pier. 

 

Some tours went off early like the ho-ho bus for one hour and $100.  The only other tour listed was Kona Reef by glass-bottom boat for 1 hour and $110.  There were more excursions, but I could  not locate them on the room TV.  

 

It was going to be another hot and muggy day with no rain.  We have never seen rain on this part of the island, but we do know that the island was affected by a hurricane not long ago.  The temperature was already 84 degrees at 11am. Some guests were already waiting to go back in the shade of umbrellas and sipping ice water when we arrived.  And we did notice that the sunscreens and aloe vera lotion were there for all to use.  

 

We took a right turn at Ali'i Drive, the main drag in town.  Most of the historic sights are here, mixed with the cafes and shops.  But first, we had to be careful of the sneaky high waves that crash over the wall here.  It must have been high tide since the sidewalks and street were flooded.  Walking fast, we made it before the next big wave hit.  There are always people here waiting to see the tourists soaked, then laugh like heck. 

 

The Hulihe'e Palace, the former vacation home of the royalty was next.  It has been closed for a few years now due to re-modeling.  It serves as a museum with Hawaiian artifacts. 

 

Following the busy road, we entered the Kona Inn Shopping Village.  It appeared that several of the small businesses were gone.  Even the original Donkey Balls store was gone.  These chocolate and nut candies rival the Moana Loa macadamia nut treats.  Bubba Gumps used to be here as well.  Another restaurant has taken their spot.  What was back was the Kona Farmer's Market selling fresh produce, flowers, handicrafts, and Kona coffee.  This popular spot has been closed the last few times we stopped here.  

 

Continuing on, we made our way to the Royal Kona Resort, stopping frequently to take photos while seeking whatever shade we could find.  Not many walkers were out and about this hot Sunday morning.   Cooling off on a shady bench, we strolled through the hotel grounds and pool area before we turned around and headed back.  This time we crossed the street carefully and wandered through numerous boutiques, artists' shops, and jewelry stores. 

 

Our destination was Pancho and Lefty's Cantina and Restaurant.  Climbing the stairs from Ali'i Drive, we seated ourselves on the railing of their upper patio.  It took a while before a waitress appeared, and even longer to get drinks.  What we assumed was a small crowd of guests, was way off.  The entire interior of the restaurant was full of local families out for a Mexican lunch.  There must be another entrance at the back of this venue since we only saw a few folks tackling the stairs.  A young boy who was helping brought us ice water and chips and salsa.  Our waitress came with the Longboard draft beer and one Diet Coke.  It took two of each to cool us off, despite sipping on a water bottle all the way here.  It is never enough.  We ordered the nachos with marinated steak strips, and enjoyed another fun lunch.  But we were not done yet.  They serve the best mud pie made with an intense Kona coffee ice cream.  Of course we had to share one.  We had relaxed for almost two hours before we moved on.

 

On the way back we passed by St. Michael's Church where a service was taking place.  We had intended to check out the Farmer's Market, but only took pictures as we passed by the tents.   The last icon we saw was Moku'aikaua Church, the oldest Christian church made with lava rock masonry in 1837. 

 

The most disturbing sign of the hurricane's damage had to be the gigantic and old banyan tree that covered the street and cafes near the pier.   It had been cut down with only the bottom five feet left.  We doubt it will survive.  We will have to do some research to learn what happened here.   OK...research done and here's what we learned:  Known as the Royal Banyan tree, it is a Moreton Bay fig tree that was given as a gift to the Royals in 1882.  It was 140 years old and the largest tree of this kind we have ever seen.   In 2025, a large limb fell and the tree was diagnosed with internal rot.  No choice, it had to be cut down....a very sad day in Kona.  

 

We got a few more photos of the nearest beach before boarding the tender back and arriving before 4pm.   We did catch the sunset around 6pm but missed the Captain's talk because we did not have the TV set on the bow channel in time.  The announcements do not come into the rooms most of the time.  As soon as the sun dipped past the horizon, we left the bay for a six-day sailing towards French Polynesia.  Great time to catch up for us.  There was an equally impressive moonrise where we got some wonderful photos.

 

Dinner offered two types of spring rolls, Caesar salads, and prime rib.  One of had a problem choosing between the pasta and the beef.   So I asked for a small slice of prime rib with no veggies with a serving of Bolognese spaghetti on the side.  They gladly honored my request.  Bill's entree was supposed to be a half order of an outside cut of prime rib.  However, it came like a double order.  He could only eat half of it, saving a bit of room for an apple tart, while I had one scoop of pistachio ice cream.   

 

The casino opened at 10:30pm after a 5-day closure.  And the show tonight was a performance by the singers and dancers with a Swing Thing.  We did a "Swing Thing" to bed.  It had been a long exhausting day.  

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

388 Pictures

Report #54---Saturday, October 24, 2026---Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, USA---Docked Port Side To Pier----Overcast And Rain---81 Degrees---81% Humidity---15mph--Winds---Casual Dress

The island of Maui is much different than Oahu in that it is more about nature than anything else.  Known for their spectacular sunrises and sunsets from the volcano Haleakala, it is also famous for their waterfalls, bamboo forests and black sand beaches.   

 

There were several excursions offered here today, but due to a glitch in their software, we can only give you details on a few of them that they printed.  Maui Tropical Plantation and Ocean Center was 4 hours for $220.  Out of Kahului was a trip to Paia Town and rainforest trek for 5 hours and $239.  Iao Valley and upcountry Maui was 5 hours for $300.  Finally, a Hana Road adventure & picnic was almost 9 hours and $450.  According to a local flyer, the Road to Hana is one of the most spectacular trips in the world.  It does include a picnic lunch, which we all know is a roadside boxed lunch with a beverage.  

 

Our port of call for Maui has always been the village of Lahaina.  However, since the devastating fire of 2023, that area is closed off to tourists these days.  A notice was printed on a map saying that parts of Lahaina are restricted areas and out of respect for the residents, they ask you to stay away so they can heal and re-build.  We did hear from friends that the ancient ficus or banyan tree did survive and is growing.   It is not the first time a fire struck Lahaina.  We were not aware that Lahaina was the first capital of Hawaii until it was moved to Honolulu in 1845. A major fire in 1919 burned down most of the buildings on Front Street, the main drive. 

 

Now the cruise ships dock at the commercial port of Kahului located on the north top of the island.   The Zaandam sailed into the port by 6:30am and was docked portside.  It was raining with passing showers.  We did catch a fleeting rainbow, always a sign of good luck as we were told by Pinnacle Grill Caroline, who gracefully did her little happy dance for us. 

 

After breakfast, we headed back to the room to do some internet work like we always do.  There was a knock on the door, and the room service waiter came in with a tray of a bouquet of flowers, a dozen Coke Zero's and a tray of sweets.....all gifts from Leonie, the hotel manager.  It wasn't time for our bi-weekly perks, so we were not sure what the occasion was.  We wrote a thank you note and hope to see her soon to thank her in person.   She is one of the most thoughtful managers we know. 

 

We left the ship by 10am, well after the showers stopped.  It is a long walk from the ship, through the terminal, then  passing through a cyclone- fenced trail to the main street in town.   Accordinig to the ship's map it is a ¾ mile hike to the Maui Mall Village across the highway.   This port area used to be filled with feral cats, and someone used to leave kibbles in old tuna cans for them.  Apparently they have been removed because we saw none.   

 

Maui Mall Village is directly across the street, filled with mostly essential grocery stores, pharmacies, car shops, hair salons, entertainment center, and various types of eateries.   And there are the fun stores such as TJMaxx and Ross, dress for less.   We needed to do some shopping and ended up with some bargains in the blouse department at Ross.   These stores always seem to be the busiest with the locals and today was no exception.   The check-out line at TJMaxx was too long, so we opted for Ross instead.   

 

It was time for lunch, and we went to the Ale House, a local sports bar and grill near Wendy's and other fast-food places.   I was already full of customers because of football we think.  We ordered a Stella draft beer and a bottomless Diet Coke.  We followed up with a giant 14-inch pizza topped with sauce, 2 types of cheese and Kalua shredded pork.  Their thin crust is probably a frozen shell, but the toppings make up for it.  Absolutely no room for dessert, we made one last stop at Longs Drugs for a bag of pretzels. You never know when we might get hungry, right?   Many shoppers there were crew members, among them dining room maitre'd Dwi and his waiters along to carry back bags full of Halloween decorations.   We all hustled back just in time to miss the coming showers, which eventually came down heavy.   

 

Back onboard, we used the time to figure out the dreaded computer again, which seems to have a mind of its own.  Captain Thomas gave his talk at 5:45pm, announcing that we would require two tugs to get us safely out of the harbor due to high winds.  We seemed to recall that last year we had a two hour wait to leave here.   The next port of Kona was 120 nautical miles away, and we would need a speed of 12 knots to arrive on time.  It will be a tender port, which we really don't like all that much.  We will have 15 knot winds along the way with a 5-foot swell.    The sunset this evening was 5:54pm and the sunrise will be 6:22am.  

 

At dinner, we had Caesar salads, bang-bang shrimp (because we like the name), one chicken noodle soup, and mains of one chicken/turkey Wellington (really ?) and one ½ order of beef brisket.  The mystery Wellington had a pile of spinach hidden under the slice of meat.....something that is not to our liking for several reasons.  We asked our waiter and head waiter Betty why they do that.  They had no idea why and promised they would check that before serving the entrees.   Our theory is that the cooked spinach came with another entree, and they cooked too much.  Hiding it under another meat entree, they get rid of it.  Maybe we're wrong, but this is not the first time this has happened.   No dessert tonight.

 

The entertainer this evening was a lady named Barrie Kealoha, an Island Girl with story-telling heritage with music as well.

 

One last port in Hawaii will be Kona.  Looking forward to one last Aloha.....

 

Bill & Mary Ann   

 

113 Pictures

Report #53---Friday, October 23, 2026---Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA---Day #2 Of 2---Starboard To Pier------All Aboard-5:30pm---Broken Clouds---82 Degrees---66% Humidity---10.4mph--Winds----Casual Dress

After a good night's sleep, we were ready to take on another day in Honolulu.  It was going to be another rain-free day with scattered clouds, temperatures in the low 80's, and a breeze of 10.4 mph.   What we did not expect were the "cherry-pickers" with guys painting the ship once again.  The beeping nose began around 9am and must have driven the guests as well as the dock team crazy.  On top of that, they were bunkering fuel from the pier and also taking on a heavy delivery of food and supplies.  That equaled 4 times the beeping noises.   It is unavoidable, so we were glad that we were leaving for most of the day.   Later we did mention it to Mel, who seemed unaware of the commotion.  

 

We left the ship around 10am and headed back in the same direction as yesterday.  We hiked slowly to the Ala Moana Mall, which according to the map is a 2-mile walk from Pier 2.   There seemed to be a nicer breeze at our backs today, making our trek more pleasant.   We entered the parking garage near Macy's at the far end.  We know exactly where the escalator is located to go up to the main level, but much to our disappointment, it was out of order.  That makes at least two years in a row that it has been broken.  Making it worse, the elevator nearby was also out of service.  I hate stairs but we decided to walk the escalator stairs to the first level, but very slowly.   Our knees don't like it so much these days.   

It was a good time to head for lunch since we were down this end.  Our destination was the California Pizza Kitchen, one of our favorite restaurants at home.  That is, until it closed two years ago.   We have been missing the BBQ chicken chopped salad with fresh, warm French bread slices.   Then we shared their BBQ chicken pizza, cooked perfectly with an excellent crust.   One of us had Sam Adams draft beer, and the other Coke Zero.  Their sodas are bottomless and you really need a few glasses to cool down. 

We had success with shopping for a new projection clock which we located at Target.  Doing some simple Google research before we left the ship, we found just what we needed and where to find it.  The clock we brought from home was an atomic projection clock, which was basically useless for setting the time automatically.  It did not work in Alaska and sure did not work in Hawaii, as the signal only covers an area under 1000 miles.  We have gotten so used to being able to see the time at night at home, that we like it on the ships as well.  Then we needed some things at Longs and had luck there also. 

Once again, we decided to taxi back to the ship, which was nice.  The heat and humidity really can zap your energy, and we still have two more Hawaiian stops to make in the next two days.  Have to pace ourselves. 

Captain Thomas came on with his daily update at 5:30pm telling us his Staff Captain, Rakesh, would be taking the ship out to sea.  We have a short distance to reach Kahului, Maui tomorrow at a speed of 11 knots.   The current temperature was 74 degrees, and we had a 5-foot swell. We may have showers and the all aboard time was changed to 6pm, not 6:30pm.  The Captain was proud to announce that there was a successful inspection by the Coast Guard, always good news.

We had a very scenic sailing out of the harbor with views of the city of Honolulu lit up at night.   Although we did not see the sun setting, we saw the results of the setting sun on the glass towers of downtown.  Being on port side worked for us tonight.

There were some good things on the menu we did not want to miss.  We ordered two different types of salads and chicken appetizers.  Our mains were the Huli Huli chicken with sweet soy glaze and macaroni salad.   So, so good.  Desserts were a chocolate tart and a few slices of watermelon.  Quite refreshing.  

On our way back to the room, we noticed the casino was closed again.  Then we read in the Daily newsletter that due to gaming rules and regulations, it would remain closed until 6:30pm on October 25^th after leaving Kona. 

We missed the show tonight which happened to be a one-night singer by the name of Erwin Urbi, a Hawaiian native.  We were told by friends that he was so good, that you could have heard a pin drop in the show lounge.   He "wowed" the audience.  

Tomorrow we will be in Kahului, Maui in rain or shine....who knows?

Bill & Mary Ann

 

165 Pictures

Report #52---Thursday, October 22, 2026---Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA---Day #1 Of 2----Docked At 8am----Over Night---- Port Side To Pier----Broken Clouds---77--Degrees----73% Humidity---6.9mph Winds----Casual Dress

Our port of call for the next two days is the state's capital Honolulu on the island of Oahu.   It is the largest city of the Hawaiian Islands.  The state flower is the hibiscus, the state's tree is the kukui, the bird is the Nene goose, and the fish is a triggerfish called humuhumukunukauapua'a or......humuhumu for short.

 

Skyscrapers and sandy shorelines describe downtown well.  You can head to the mountains to see waterfalls and rainforests with hiking and biking trails.   A "must see" is a visit to the Pearl Harbor Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial  to pay tribute to the 2390 military and civilians that were killed in the December 7th, 1941 attack.  We can guarantee that an excursion here will be something you will remember forever.  We also visited the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum, the Aviation Museum, and the Battleship Missouri Memorial.   

 

A few tours offered on our two- day stay here were the Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkel trip for 3 hours and $190.  The hop-on hop-off trolley (aka ho-ho-bus) was $96 with four stops, and enough time to see these sights.  Waikiki on your own was 5.5 hours for $50 to shop, dine, or just relax on a beach somewhere. 

 

The Zaandam sailed into the harbor by 6:30am and was docked portside by 8am.  We were not thrilled to be portside to the terminal, since normally we are docked starboard and we have the view of the harbor traffic and the sunsets.  As it turned out, if we ignored the roof of the terminal the view beyond it was nice.  We stayed onboard working online until the major inspection by the US Coast Guard began at 9:30am.  This was a big one and the Captain had mentioned it yesterday hoping it would not disrupt the cruise too much.  By 10am, we had had enough of the whistleblowing and left the ship for our long hike to Waikiki and beyond.  We estimated the walk was 5 miles, more or less.

 

It was going to be a hot day town with temperatures near 80 degrees, 73% humidity and 6.9 mph winds.  Light rain was in the forecast, but it was not a factor today.  Of course, we packed umbrellas and that would ensure no rain would fall.  For the first time ever, we spotted a table inside the terminal entrance with three pumper bottles of something.  Looking closer, they were two types of sunscreen (30 and 50) along with a bottle of aloe vera for sunburn.  Great idea but hoping that no one had an allergy to the lotion.   We use it every day, so did not take any.

 

From Pier 2, we passed by several businesses to Kewalo Basin where the opening shots of Gilligan's Island were filmed ages ago.  The little marina houses the tour boats and fishing vessels for the tourists.  Across the boulevard, we saw what was left of the old Ward Center, the first shopping district of Honolulu years ago.  It was in the process of being torn down and hosed with blasting water to keep the dust down.  It appeared to be the parking garage at the far end.  What will be built in its place is a mystery to us.  The property is more than likely worth a mint.  

 

The Ala Moana Beach Park starts here with the canal on one side, grassy fields in the center and beachfront.  Some ancient trees exist yere like the baobabs, sausage trees, and banyans.   The grassy area is full of birds like the pigeons, small doves, egrets, night herons, chickens and a couple of little non-native red-headed birds.  There used to be many more of these imported songbirds, but we only saw two.  Maybe they left during the recent tropical storms. 

 

The Ala Moana Mall is across this highway, but we will save that for tomorrow.

 

Crossing the bridge over the canal, we arrived at the beginning of the Waikiki hotel stretch with towers so high, the ocean was blocked from view.  Passing several iconic hotels, we entered the Hilton Hawaiian Village, making a  rest visit and then strolling through the hotel lobby, gardens and shops.   The pools in the back were full of guests and Waikiki Beach was full of sunbathers getting toasted.  A new cafe was being built where the old netted -for- birds restaurant used to be located.   

 

The Atlantis Submarine ride was leaving from a pier here.  We were happy to leave the busy sandy beach and head towards Fort DeRussy Beach Park, and the US Army Museum complete with an outdoor display of heavy artillery.  Our destination was the Hard Rock Cafe, a few more blocks up from the beach.  We were seated upstairs at a table by the railing with a good view of Luxury Row, a string of high-end boutiques across the busy street.  We enjoyed a couple of beers and a Coke Zero or two along with a shared Legendary smashed burger with fries.  We had to shoo two hungry pigeons away to keep them away from our food.   Netting the balcony would be wise here.

 

The place filled up quickly due to the fact a football game was about to start back east....Chicago we believe.  Our timing was good since we left before the patrons got too loud and crazy.  There is a Tommy Bahama store next door, so we made a stop there and found a nice new silk shirt to purchase.   

 

Knowing that we will be here again tomorrow, we decided to take a taxi back to the pier.  With five days of ports in a row, we had to save energy to do it all.  We were back onboard by 3pm, only to find that there were two JLG rigs with the ship's workers painting the ship's aft side.  The noise from the dual beeping lifts was most annoying for those of us that like to relax on the veranda.   I needed ear plugs which I could not locate.   There were many of us out on the verandas and most all of us retreated inside the rooms.  Calling the front desk did no good since no one was answering the phone.  I gave up after 20 minutes of waiting.  I just wanted to know when the noise would stop.   It continued into the dark of night and did not stop until 8pm or so.  Want to bet they will be back tomorrow morning?   And yes, they were. 

 

Dinner for us was supposed to be in the Pinnacle Grill, but knowing the staff might want to go onshore, we cancelled our 8pm reservation.  There were a few items we liked on the regular menu, so it wasn't a big deal.  One of us ordered the wonton soup, and the other salad.  We both had the Gochujang braised pork ribs which were dripping with the best BBQ sauce.  Two light desserts were tiramisu ice cream and one small parfait glass with assorted fruit.  Showtime featured  The Drums of Polynesia with the spirit and cultures of both Hawaiian and Polynesian song and dance.  We have seen this rousing show several times and found it fun.

 

Bill & Mary Ann   

 

414 Pictures

Report #51---Wednesday, October 21, 2026---Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii, USA---8am-4:30pm---Docked Port Side To Pier---Sunny With Showers---79 Degrees---65% Humidity----10.4mph--Winds-----Casual Dress

Nawiliwili, Kauai was our port of call today, the first of four in the state of Hawaii.  The Zaandam arrived very early and was docked before 8am.  By 10am, the temperature was 79 degrees with 65 % humidity.  The winds were light at 10.4 mph and there was a slight drizzle.  Rain had been predicted later in the afternoon.

 

There were few customers in the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast, indicting that many of them took excursions today.   The TV channel for the tours was not working this morning, so we only have a few to describe.  The Wailua River cruise & Fern Grotto was $160 for 3 hours, while the Bike Experience was $190 for 4.25 hours.  The jewels of Hawaii took folks to see Allerton & McBryde tropical gardens and waterfall with a gourmet outdoor lunch for $230 and 5.5 hours.   The gourmet outdoor lunch may have been a picnic in a public park.  We learned later on that it was indeed a boxed meal with a tasty shrimp entree or a chicken sandwich.

 

The island of Kauai is known for its lush landscapes, towering cliffs,  impressive waterfalls, and beaches.  Waimea Canyon has been compared to the Grand Canyon.  The island is a hiker's paradise with one of the world's most stunning coastlines.   One reason it is so green?   It's the amount of rain they get.  The average is 400 inches annually, however they have recorded up to 700 inches in one year. 

 

Having taken most of these tours over the years, we always stay close to the town of Nawiliwili, which is named after the wiliwili trees that were found growing here centuries ago.  So after the mandatory drill was conducted on the ship, we left the ship around 10am.  For some unknown reason, our room keys were not working at the gangway.  The security girl took our room number and said to have them re-done when we come back. 

 

Packing umbrellas, we strolled to Anchor Cove where there are a few shops with jewelry, clothing, a coffee cafe, and an ABC store.  A free shuttle ran from the pier to here also.  We continued on to Kalapaki Beach   A modern high-rise Marriott Hotel is located on this protected cove, however the beach is public and free to everyone.  The tents, lounges, and hotel beach towels come with a price, but is a convenient way for the cruise ship passengers to relax in the shade or sun and swim in the warm waters.   

 

We were just about to head up to the Marriott garden when we ran into friends Nancy and Mike who have sailed on several world cruises with us.   We had no idea they were on this trip, so it was nice to see them again.  We chatted for a while until we realized the heat from the sun was intense.   We can always catch up on news on the ship and not risk sun burn or heat stroke.   A light rain might have been welcomed. 

 

We wandered up the walkway from the beachfront, and made our way around the Marriott garden, which is always well-maintained and photo-worthy.   Lining the walls of the hotel are a couple of gigantic cloisonne vases imported from China decorated with many beautiful exotic birds.  The ponds in the garden are full of healthy and brilliant koi carp.   Making our way back down to the beach walk, we turned left and took in the scenery with the hotel's pools and lawn-covered beachfront.   By now, there were dozens of hotel guests on the sandy beach as well as groups of guests from the Zaandam.  

 

We always like to eat lunch at Duke's, mostly for their famous Hula Pie.   Going at 11:30am, we still had a 20- minute wait for a table for two out of the sun.  We ordered 20- ounce Longboard lager draft beers along with one order of nachos with marinated kailua pork on top to share.  This is a treat we cannot get on the ship, and it was excellent with just the right amount of jalapeno pepper slices.  It was fortunate that there was no other cruise ship here today, or else we would not have gotten a table in a timely manner.  But the best part of the lunch was the huge slice of Hula Pie covered with whipped cream.  Of course, we shared it. 

 

We headed back to the ship slowly, taking time to purchase one bottle of water at the ABC Store.  We did notice that a red trolley was taking folks to the Harbor Mall across the road from Kalapaki Beach.  Another shuttle passed us that headed towards Hilo Hattie's, further away.  These all appeared to be complimentary.    

 

Back at the gangway, we found that our room keys did not work.  So we went to the front desk to have them re-done....again.  They printed two new ones, but they did not work.  Back down to deck four, they were printed again, but this time one of the girls escorted me back to the room.  These worked.  While at the desk, we had some shipboard credit checked and itemized, which does not show up on our statements these days.  A few credits were missing, so Margaret promised to research it.  She did, but we were still missing one.  All of this has to be done through the Seattle office which takes time.  If we were not keeping an eye on this, the credits would have gone unrecognized. 

 

Captain Thomas came on with his talk at 4:30pm and said we would be leaving before 5pm.  We had 150 nautical miles to reach Honolulu tomorrow at 6:30am at a speed of 11 knots and 7-foot sea swells.  The weather is expected to be hot with some showers.  In addition, the Captain mentioned that the US Coast Guard will board the vessel and do major inspections. 

 

We left too early for a good sunset, but we did see some birds as we left the island.   They were very far out sailing over the water.  We thought they were terns, but a close-up shot revealed they were masked boobies.

 

When we entered the dining room tonight,  it felt like a sauna.  Someone must have pushed a wrong button.  Up to now, it has been on the cooler side.   We ordered Caesar salads, pork tenderloin and a seasoned rack of lamb.  Both good. Hot too.  Dessert was one scoop of chocolate ice cream and one serving of an orange panna cotta.  Full again....

 

The singer with the high notes was DJ Bucciarelli with a brand- new show by popular demand.

 

Honolulu....here we come.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

408 Pictures

Report #50---Tuesday, October 20, 2026---Sea Day #5 Of 5 Enroute To Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii, USA----Showers And Sun---77 Degrees---70% Humidity----21-8mph--Winds---Ships Speed-16 Knots---8" Swell-----Casual Dress

Our last day at sea on the way to Kauai found very warm temperatures, higher winds, and muggy.   The TV weather channel stated we had clear skies, but that was not the case.  There were lots of clouds and some sun off and on all day.  We even had a couple of showers that did not last very long.  

 

We had a busy morning with photos and research while watching for any sign of wildlife.  There was nothing at all to see today except for a nice sunrise.  

 

There were ongoing lectures in the World Stage with a Q&A session with Kainoa, and later a talk on the Jarvis Moon.  Pearl Harbor was the subject of speaker William Beeman.  And there was a port talk on Maui and Kona.  There were three sessions of trivia and Hawaiian-themed hula lessons and ukulele playing.  An afternoon treat for some was a Hawaiian tea and aloha music poolside.     Promotions filled up the rest of the day.   

 

Captain Thomas was right on time with his daily updates.  The Zaandam has sailed 2033 nautical miles from San Diego and has another 292 nautical miles to go to reach Nawiliwili tomorrow. The ship's speed is 16 knots. We are experiencing calm seas with a swell of 8 feet.   He described Kauai as the Garden Isle with dramatic scenery with tons of rain.  It happens to be the oldest of the islands also.  Afternoon light showers are expected.  Typical Hawaii.

 

We had a light lunch since we were invited to an early (for us) cocktail gathering with the Hotel Manager, Leonie and Captain Thomas. The gathering was shared with the Neptune folks.    It was in the Crow's Nest from 4 to 5pm where we were greeted by many officers and staff members.  There was a section set aside for the President's Club members, and it appeared that all of us showed up.  We were offered any drink of our choosing followed by numerous servings of fancy hors d'oeuvres.  Making it even more fun, the Captain asked to join all of us, staying until the party ended.  He is very friendly and quite at ease with the guests.  

 

Dinnertime had a few items we liked on the menu.  Starters were Thai beef slices with pickled veggies.  One of us had the shrimp taco as well.  The mains were linguini with beef short rib meat and a sliced tenderloin meal.   The plates and the food were served nice and hot, thank you.    Dessert was one scoop of pistachio ice cream and a round serving of cheesecake that tasted like the real thing.  Sometimes it resembles the Jello cheesecake in a box.    

 

The World Stage Cast put on a show with sounds of the 60's with the theme of feeling groovy.  

 

Looking forward to stepping on firm ground tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

39 Pictures

Report #49---Monday, October 19, 2026---Sea Day #4 Of 5---Enroute To Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii, USA---Sunny With Clouds---73 Degrees--69% Humidity---17.9mph--Winds---Ships Speed- 16 Knots----Casual Dress

Day four at sea brought definite changes in the weather department.  We went from "I wish there was more heat in the sun" to "You can fry an egg on our veranda railing".   No kidding.  As a reminder, we need to be careful not to get sunburned, even sitting on the veranda lounges.

 

The temperature began at 73 degrees with 69% humidity at 10 this morning.  There was a 17.9 mph wind with overcast skies, and eventually some hot sun.   The warmth of Hawaii is in the air already.  

 

Last night, we put together a list of dinner dates in the Pinnacle Grill, as we are entitled to 10 dinners each for this cruise. We did not get organized on the first five cruises since September 2nd, so we let a total of 100 complimentary dinners expire.  There was only one date that the venue was a pop-up, so we will need to choose another night.   The cuisine in the Pinnacle is to our liking, so we do not attend the pop-ups with the exception of the Tamarind. 

 

Captain Thomas ae on with his updates at high noon.   We have traveled 1627 nautical miles from San Diego and have another 697 nautical miles to go to reach Kauai.    The ship is maintaining a speed of 16 knots with no noticeable problems.  The sea swell is 8 feet with continued motion, but far less than yesterday's seas.  Sunset tonight will be 6:17pm, and sunrise at 6:04am.   Only one of us is up that early to catch it , and it is definitely not me.  Finally, the clocks will go back one hour once again.   That will put us on Hawaii time.  

 

Included in his daily talk, Captain Thomas said he took questions regarding navigating the seas.  One of the inquiries was who was driving the ship.  He replied it was more than just the Captain.  There are always four officers capable of driving the ship at all times, sometimes more.   At times, auto-pilot can be used, but that does not mean that they set the course and then go on a coffee break.   Very amusing.....  Final word was that we can rest assured that we're all in good hands.   

 

The Polynesian team continued to give lectures, hula dance lessons, and even a language class.  They even conduct an Aloha sunset music hour bat the Lido poolside at 4pm.     The Polynesian lei story was presented by Kainoa in the show lounge at 11am.   And there was a pool party in the Lido pool area at 2pm.  

 

There were a few birds and some flying fish I got pictures of today also the sunrise and sunset.  

 

We had a light lunch of a salad and mini burger sliders.  Tonight, our first dinner will be at 8pm in the Pinnacle Grill, so we kept lunch at a minimum.   Even eating dinner at 8pm, we still are not all that hungry.   Seated at our regular table, we ordered the wedge salads with two strips of clothesline bacon on the plate.  Assorted rolls were served with an intense garlic butter we have grown to like.  A couple of years ago, they began serving a fluffy, buttery roll that was huge, but so good.  We have not seen these rolls for the last year, so they must have been phased out.  One of us had the savory lamb chops and  the other, the small filet mignon cooked medium rare.  Both mains were excellent with half of a baked potato with toppings on the side.  We had forgotten how good the food was in here.  And without asking, the plates arrived piping hot.   Dessert was the same for both of us....a pinacolada trifle, served in a glass jar.  It was listed on the side of the menu as a special of the area we are now sailing.   Refreshing is a good word to describe it.  

 

Showtime was a repeat performance by DJ Bucchiarelli singing the high notes.....music from Neil Sedaka.   

 

Time to set those clocks back and enjoy an extra hour of sleep.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

125 Pictures

Report #48---Sunday, October 18, 2026---Sea Day #3 Of 5----Enroute To Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii, USA---Partly Sunny--70 Degrees---70% Humidity---14.8mph-Winds---Ships Speed--18 Knots-----Casual Dress

If a day at sea needed a name, then "hump" day would work just fine.  At least, that is what Captain Thomas called this Sunday, the third sea day out of five on the way towards Hawaii.   During his noon talk, he announced that the Zaandam was at the halfway point doing the trek to Hawaii.   We have sailed 1204 nautical miles from San Diego and have another 1121 nautical miles to go to reach Nawiliwili, Kauai on October 21st.  He continued to explain in simple terms about the wave action that causes rolling, pitching, and yawing of a vessel like ours.    And yes, we are doing all three of those maneuvers while maintaining a speed of 18 knots.    The stabilizers are out, giving us the best possible ride, even with the 8-foot swells.   

 

The temperature remained a steady 71 degrees with 70% humidity.  The winds were 14.8 mph at 8am, but as the day advanced, so did the winds.  Overcast skies early in the morning turned to broken clouds with some sun in the mix.  We are very lucky so far to have no rain.  Last month a series of tropical storms and hurricanes passed through the Islands with much flooding and some damage.   It is the season for these storms, but we are keeping our fingers crossed they hold off for a while. 

 

This morning was the Sunday Hawaiian Brunch in the dining room from 9:30am to 12:30pm.  This gives the guests a chance to sleep late, and we suspect the dining room waiters can do the same.   This venue is nice for some, but we prefer the Pinnacle Grill.  

 

When we left after another nice breakfast, we discovered there was a roadblock of passengers in the hallway outside the Captain's Shop.  Tables had been set up outside with all of the leftover HAL Alaskan clothing and souvenirs from the Alaska season.  It was like a feeding frenzy at the zoo with people sorting through the sizes of clothing.  Of course, if you were looking for small to extra- large clothes, you would be out of luck.  If you wanted extra small or 3xxx, you were in luck.   We could not see the prices of the t-shirts, but at the end of the Alaska runs, they were selling for $7.75 each we think.   No sense trying to price things here, so we went to deck five and the other larger store by the Ocean Bar. The manager of the Shops happened to be there and told us the t-shirts were selling for $3.87.  No wonder people were going crazy.  

 

We were really only interested in the sale pricing, but then.....we noticed that the Shop had many new items they just brought out.  A dressy poncho-type top caught my eye immediately and figured it was a good buy.  Not on sale, it still is a good way to use shipboard credit.

 

Caught up on internet work, we took a long walk on the promenade deck where a few more folks were relaxing on the port side of the deck.   There was less wind and the sun was shining little by little.    We did see a few flying fish and later in the day, some masked boobies appeared.  We are still on the lookout for the dog onboard because the doggie relief area is still set up. 

 

One of the places we like to sit is at the Seaview Pool, so we headed there to find the tables and chairs are finally set up on the back deck around the pool.    It's not quite hot enough for swimming, but there were a few serious sunbathers.  We never did get offered any water or lemonade like we always did on the Volendam.  Come to think of it, no one else around us had drinks either.  

 

It was salads and a shared sandwich for lunch today.  There was actually a fairly nice sunset tonight, followed by a casual dinner.  Starters were one cod slider and one tomato/mozzarella salad.  Mains were a pork chop and chicken meatballs with rigatoni, both served hot by Betty.   Desserts were one scoop of mint chip and a slice of a chocolate caramel tart.  The smaller portions really do us a favor.

 

The entertainer in the show lounge was Wendy Law with a return performance.   Her instrument is a 200 year old cello and actually has a name:  Sebastian.  Her music is classical, bossa nova, and tango. 

 

Tomorrow starts day 4 on the run to Hawaii.  Hope the weather warms up a bit more.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report #47---Saturday, October 17, 2026---Sea Day#2 Of 5---Enroute To Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii, USA---Cloudy With Some Sun-----69 Degrees---84% Humidity---18.1mph--Winds----Ships Speed 18 Knots

We believe we are at a point that we have finally caught up with pictures and reports.  Dealing with a new computer with many changes has slowed up the progress.  Something has been causing the photos to lose the captioning, then we have to do it all over again.  Sometimes it takes three times to get it to work.  

 

One of us is not computer savvy by choice.   So if something goes awry, I am stopped in my tracks.  Pushing one incorrect key might delete photos and all.   It has happened more than once.  By the time we figure all of this out, we will be home. 

 

We had three sets of visitors this morning in the Pinnacle Grill.....our President's Club buddies.  We all decided we needed another get-together to continue sharing news and whatnot.  By the way, many of the regular waiters here are moved elsewhere.  Some rotate to the Neptune Lounge, but a few just joined the ship in San Diego, replacing some that went home in the same port.  Many of us are not sure we like this new idea of moving the staff around, especially the waiters who have gotten to know our likes and dislikes, or that we love lots of hot coffee on sea days.   

 

Captain Thomas came on with his update at noon.    He stated that the ship is doing 18 knots as we head directly west, and the temperature was a cool 69 degrees with lots of clouds.  Not exactly swimming or suntanning weather.  The winds were 25 knots or 18.1 mph (more or less) with 84% humidity.  The ship has traveled 769 nautical miles from San Diego and has another 1054 nautical miles to go to reach Nawiliwili, Kauai.   There is currently a swell of 8 feet causing some pitching and rolling.  He continued with some info on the Pacific Ocean, telling us that it covers 30% of the earth's surface.   At its deepest point in the Mariana Trench, you could take Mt. Everest to the bottom of this ocean, and it still would not come close to breaking the surface.  Yep, that's over our heads.  The Captain admitted to us at our last gathering that he has resisted the need to give sea depths because some guests get nervous hearing that.  You learn something new every day.

 

Sunset will be 6:17pm and sunrise at 6:10am.   We missed a travel agency cocktail party in the Crow's Nest waiting for the sun to go down.  Due to heavy clouds on the horizon, there was little to no color in the sky tonight.    Anyway, the Captain reminded everyone to wash their hands frequently and to be sure to set our clocks back one hour tonight.  None of us complain about that, especially the crew.  

 

Dinner had crispy Thai spring rolls on the menu with the best Thai chili sauce.  We each had one, but could have made a meal with those alone.  One of us was still chilled from being on the veranda too long waiting for the sun to go down.  A bowl of piping hot chicken noodle soup fixed that.  Another tasty appetizer was the smoked chicken one.  Mains were a pork belly with sweet, mashed potatoes and one plate of spaghetti without the shrimp.  Diced tomatoes and olive oil made the sauce perfect.  Topped with Parmesan cheese, it was a light meal.  Betty, our assistant maitre'd  personally brought our hot plates with hot food.   It finally took a word with Dwi, the head man, that we like our mains hot.  He put out the word, and now it is done.   Desserts were one blueberry cheesecake - light and fluffy with no sugar added.  Asking what the ice cream of the day was, the answer was confusing.  I heard Hajid say something like "cakie doo", where we said huh?  Was that something new?   Then he laughed and repeated it again saying cookie dough.  We tend to forget that English is not their first language.   Good thing he laughed too.  The other dessert was one scoop of berry swirl ice cream.    Our waiter Hajid seemed disappointed that I only wanted one single scoop.  Yes as long as it is not cakie doo.   They really go the mile to please us, but sometimes less is better.  

 

The entertainment in the show lounge was a new group of the World Stage Cast of singers and dancers with Crossroads.   Perhaps the theme is country western with rhythm, roots and rhymes being that their ad showed cowboy boots.  

 

So much for day # 2 at sea.    Setting the clocks back was an  extra plus.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

89 Pictures