Report #93 Friday, April 3, 2026-----Sea Day Enroute To Kaohsiung, Tiawan-----Overcast And Clearing In The Afternoon-----77 Degrees----87% Humidity---17.7mph Winds----Casual Dress

Well, breakfast was wild and crazy this Good Friday morning with stories of legitimate complaints concerning the Princeton Tailors getting a lot of things wrong.   One of our friends was so disappointed with a formal dress that was made incorrectly, and tailored so much, it did not fit at all.  We are not talking cheap here with formal dress prices ranging from $500 and up.  Her fabric was wrong as was the color she originally chose.   And being told that all sales were final did not bode well with this guest.  The more we heard, we figured someone onboard would have to intervene and make it right.  As we stated yesterday, there were a few issues with the tux slacks, but nothing so big that we would demand money back.  However, if enough dissatisfied folks pipe up, some kind of compensation would be arranged.    If that happens, we will let you all know what the final decision was.  This company has been outstanding in the past, and we sure hate to see it go downhill. 

 

Anyway, at noontime the temperature was 77 degrees with 87% humidity.  Winds were 17.7 mph with mostly clear skies early on but overcast most of the day.   Captain Frank came on the speakers right after the noon whistle, a tradition which we like.  We had another 166 nautical miles to go to reach the next port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  Southern Taiwan to be exact.  He would be sailing close to land at 68 miles out at sea where he expected 5-foot swells and shallow waters.  The predicted chance of thunderstorms and rain was 90%.  He was sure correct about that as we would find out.  He continued to say we would be sailing in the Taiwan Strait, formerly the Formosa Strait which is a commercial route with lots of ship traffic.  He said to watch for islands and volcanoes along the way.  He and his team  will be watching this strait closely due to military problems.  Then he added there were four major typhoons a year that hit Taiwan.  And finally we would be passing some fishing vessels as well as wind generators.  Docking was expected by 8am and starboard.  The immigration officials were already onboard to move the process along smoothly.    We are enjoying Captain Frank's detailed comments at his noon talk, since we can always learn more about every port, even if we have been there before.  And he is good about giving the sunrise and sunset times.

 

As always, the rest of the afternoon was used for computer work….never ending it seems. 

 

We had a room service lunch of one Cobb salad and a shared club sandwich.  Their lunch salads are much fresher and fuller than what we get for dinner.  Speaking of dinner, we had one beef soup, shrimp ball appetizers, and General Tso's fried chicken chunks with garlic rice, green beans, and corn.  So good.  Desserts were one little scoop of vanilla ice cream and a plate of sliced pineapple.   

 

The waiters and bar servers wore Indonesian or Filipino shirts or dresses for the gals for a change.  They looked nice and were obviously more comfortable than usual.    Gone are the days they  used to wear costumes for different occasions. 

 

There was an activity held in the Lido Poolside at 8:30pm called Festival of Lights.  The guests were encouraged to wear a world costume, whatever that may be, we don't know.   Just as we leaving the dining room, a good friend came running over to show us her costume.   Using one of the bed throw pillows, she appeared to be 9 months pregnant.  What?   At 80 something, she is hiding a baby?   All in good fun, she and her husband were on their way to the party.  Can't wait to hear all about it.

 

There was a show tonight featuring a vocalist Cassidy Jenson with Carole King tunes.  With so much going on, we are not sure what the attendance is in the big show lounge. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS  -  Another shower head bit the dust this morning.  That makes it # 4.  It should be replaced by tonight.

 

No Pictures

Report #92 Thursday, April 2, 2026-----Hong Kong, China----Day #2 Of 2----All Aboard 4:30pm---Sunny----79 Degrees---68% Humidity---4mph Winds------Casual Dress

Day two in Hong Kong started with temps in the low 70's, humidity at 82% and winds at 23 mph.  There were some showers during the nights leaving very overcast and cloudy skies the next morning.  

 

At breakfast, we got an update on the laser light show last night.  It did happen and just as we suspected, it was not visible from the upper level of the dining room.  Many people we knew said the show was underwhelming and they had seen better ones over the years. 

 

We paid a visit to the Princeton Tailors to verify the order would be delivered to our room by 2pm.  They said yes, no problem.  Actually, it was no and it was a problem.  But more about that later.   We were also happy to hear from some of our friends that attended the Dinner Under The Stars that it was a success.  They did not have any rain and they were able to see the laser show.  The price of $95 plus 18% did not deter anyone for this special Pinnacle dinner. 

 

As for us, we left the ship by 9:30am and decided to explore close to the ship since the all aboard time was 4:30pm.   Once we left the Harbor City Mall, we noticed the wind had picked up and the light mist was turning into rain.  It was a light rain, but we had not brought the umbrellas.  Even if we had them, the gusty wind would have turned them inside out like what was happening all around us. 

 

We walked from the Star Ferry to the Avenue of the Stars.  It has been a few years since we were here, and it surprised us to find the actual stars and their handprints had been removed from the sidewalk and mounted on the harborside railings.   It was really a much better idea and the tourists and locals alike did not have to bend over to place their hands in the prints of their favorite actor. This popular area is known as the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade with stunning views (without the rain and haze), street performers and as we stated, the nightly Symphony of Lights show.   We did spot a new sign on the railing informing everyone that there was a police drone surveillance in this entire promenade.  With all these things going on, it is a hot spot for pickpockets and more.   Today it wasn't a problem because the rain kept them away. 

 

At one point when the rain became heavier, we ducked into a mall called K11 Musea mostly to get out of the rain.   This place was a big "wow" with the highest end shops and boutiques.  There were at least four levels with a beautiful atrium.  It could not get any glitzier than here.  We're talking stores like Rado, Cartier, Rolex, Breitling and Tissot.  Boutiques were Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Georgio Armani, Givenchy, Hermes, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vitton, Ralph Loren, Prada, Tommy Hilfiger, Valentino, Versace and Tiffany.  Window-shopping was all we did.  And going up to the top level, we located the nicest restrooms as well. 

 

From here we had intended on walking up Nathan Road for as far as we could but changed our  minds when encountering too many people running with umbrellas.  We found the entrance to the Harbor City Mall and headed for lunch.    It was already noontime and with the early all aboard time, we thought it was wise to head back. 

 

Yesterday we had spotted the Paper Moon Restaurant, located on the third floor of the new wing of this extensive mall.  And better yet, it was very close to the Volendam's entrance from this mall.  We were seated at a table for two near a window where the ship was docked.   The greeter and waitress were quite nice, speaking perfect English.  We ordered two Peroni draft beers which was followed by a basket of focaccia bread, 2 bread sticks, and lavage, the thin cracker that Bill likes.   Two small plates were brought and another waiter poured some olive oil in the center, then added a tablespoon of thick balsamic vinegar for dipping the bread.   Nice touch.   We ordered a margherita pizza with extra sliced onions and mushrooms.  It was delicious cooked in a proper pizza oven.   We ended the nice meal with a shared small volcano cake with vanilla ice cream.  Once again , the meal was pricy but the food and ambience was nice.  We could not help but notice that two  young ladies were posing for photos sitting near us.  At one point they went to the outdoor patio, and continued to take pictures.  We bet these show up on Facebook or Twitter.

 

We did get back to the ship by 2pm expecting to see the ordered clothing on our room.  Nope, not there, so by 4pm, one of us went down to deck five to see what happened.   The eight reps from Princeton Tailors were knee-deep in labeled packages that just had been delivered.  With help from one of the ladies, she was able to find the tux, vest, shirt and tie in different places.  I agreed to take them with me along with the garment bag they belonged in.  

 

Back in the room, Bill tried everyone and except for slacks that were a  bit too short, the rest fit well.  This is something I can fix at home with no problem.  If there were major adjustments to be made, then the items would be taken back with them, and eventually mailed to our home.  We felt that was not a great idea, and decided to keep what we had.  However, we would speak to Kumar about this tomorrow and find out why things had gotten so backed up.  Tomorrow at breakfast, we would  get an earful of complaints from some of our friends that were more than dissatisfied.  

 

Captain Frank came on the speakers with his daily update and apologized for the rain, as if he could change it.   He said the pilot would board the ship and we should leave by 5pm.  He was going to have one of his senior officers take the ship out.  And there would be scenic sailing all the way.  We had 340 nautical miles to the next port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan in two days with an expected drizzle, temps in the 70's, winds at 20 knots and seas at 3 feet.  They would increase to 8 feet later in the evening.   The sailing out of the harbor was pretty dark and threatening rain, but it never did.

 

We continued our computer work until dinnertime.  We had salads, a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and a ham and potato brochette.   Mains were one "comfort" meal of chicken stew and one lamb skewered dish with Hainan rice and dipping sauce.   Desserts were one slice of a chocolate layer cake and one plate of sliced bananas. 

 

The entertainer this evening was comedia Martin Beaumont.  We have seen his show on a previous trip last fall and found him to be very funny.   Boy are we going to sleep well tonight or what?

 

Looking forward to one day at sea. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

262 Pictures

Report #91 Wednesday, April 1, 2026-----Hong Kong, China----Day #1 Of 2---7am--Overnight----Happy April Fools Day---Sunny----79 Degrees---68% Humidity---4mph Winds-------Casual Dress

We have arrived to the world-famous port of Hong Kong, China, and one of our favorite cities to explore.  The capital is Hong Kong and the total population is 7.8 million people that speak Cantonese and English.   Listening to Josh's port talk, he mentioned that there are over 657 towers in this city……too many to count, but very visible in the hundreds of photos we took. 

 

There are so many things to see and do here, that it would take weeks to do it properly.   During our first stops here, we made it a point to take excursions to get the layout of the area, then deciding where we would spend our time to the best advantage.  So we saw every major site on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, where we were docked.   What we learned was to avoid the tours that took us to a four-story ceramic factory where we were trapped and had to see each and every floor on the only way out of the building.    If you were interested in buying the expensive pottery and ceramics, then you would be in heaven.  It was then that we understood why so many of the seasoned guests stayed on the bus instead.  On the same tour was Stanley Market, also a fun place for the shoppers among us.   However, we heard from our buddies that the area of Stanley Market had declined in the way of shops and restaurants.  Very disappointing.

 

There are many unique neighborhoods that are accessible by bus, tram, the MRT or the many ferry boats.  One of the most affordable one has to be the Star Ferry , an icon of Hong Kong heritage and a bargain.  It may still be free for seniors, but you still need to have their Octopus Card, like an MRT card for all types of transportation. 

 

One of the most popular things to do on Hong Kong Island has to be a ride to Victoria Peak but make sure it is on a clear day.  The first day may  have provided some good views, but day two was not the best with showers and low dark clouds.  You would see nothing but fog.   Back on Kowloon, the Mong Kok Markets houses the Ladies Market, block after block of outdoor shopping.   Close by is the Flower market as well as the Bird Market.  Usually we make it to all of these spots, but it wasn't in the cards today.  There is a goldfish market with a computer mall which is reportedly a gadget-lover heaven.  A bit further down Nathan Road is the Jade Market, a really fun place to buy all types of jewelry at good prices if you like to bargain. 

 

Then there is the Temple Street Night Market located within walking distance of the cruise terminal.    Never made it that far as we were planning to do it the first day.  There is a vast array of treasures and souvenirs you cannot live without.  Bargaining is the name of the game here.  In the evening, there are food stalls with live fish and shellfish in Styrofoam tubs outside each eatery. 

 

Some of the favorite foods are dim sum and all types of fish and meat, seafood and poultry.  Tea breaks are common and addictive as are the late night sweets you can find here.  You can find black sesame seed soup with durian crepes.   Think we'll pass on that one. 

 

Another destination is the Big Buddha on Lantau Island, where Disneyland operates their theme park there.    We had a tour to Lantau where we dined with monks with a vegetarian lunch where every dish was tofu-based.  They did well mimicking the tastes and textures of chicken, duck, and all types of veggies…..all tofu.  We could go on forever but will stick to what we did here on day one. 

 

Scenic sailing began with the bow opening at 6am, weather permitting of course.  Hong Kong rolls were served on the outside decks but never showed up in the Pinnace Grill this time.   Just as well as we are snacking a bit too much on these sweet treats.   We were all warned that the clearance might take over an hour, so the tour folks were advised not to block the hallways and the show lounge.  There is always that group that needs to be first no matter what ship you are on.  The only other restriction was no food or drink was allowed with the exception of bottled water.    We do not leave "home" without it.     And for the first time, we did not get any Hong Kong dollars, which would have been onshore because the ship did not sell it. 

 

The ship was dock portside to the pier, so we had no good view of the harbor.  Not a problem, we could always access deck 6 forward to see all of the magnificent harbor activity.  We were directly across from the Harbour City mall and one of the rooftop parking lots.  A stone's throw away were people walking to access the shops and restaurants below.  Moist times, we kept our sheer drapes closed.  A few times, while sitting on the veranda, families walked past and waved hello to us. 

 

The day began with overcast skies which turned to partly sunny later in the day.  The temperature was cooler at 10am at 72 degrees, humidity of 82% and winds at 11 mph.  And no rain predicted.  The Volendam passed two cruise ships docked at the old Kai Tak Airport/turned cruise ship terminal.  They were the MSC Majestica and Mein Schiff 6.   Usually we are doomed to be docked there, but we lucked out and got assigned to Ocean Terminal a far superior location in our humble opinion. 

 

We left the ship after 10am and headed through the Harbour City Mall, several stories high, and a place where if it wasn't for excellent signage, you could get lost.  And this is only one of such malls in Hong Kong as we would discover the following day.   Needing a pair of new shoelaces for dress shoes, we stopped at a Watson's, which is basically a pharmacy, but also has items for travelers.  We asked two salesgirls if they carried shoelaces.  Their English wasn't so good, so they summoned two more employees to help.  These two understood what we were asking but asked the pharmacist to talk to us.   Now we had everyone who worked in the store trying to help us.  The pharmacist did not know of any store in the mall, but suggested Nike or Puma.  When we asked what they do if their shoelaces broke, they said they throw the shoes away and buy new ones.  We all laughed and thanked them for their extended help.  The search would continue….

 

As we previously stated, we had intentions of hiking up Nathan Road but never made it that far.   Directly across the street from the mall, is an entrance to Kowloon Park.  This area has been improved immensely over the years, and it is a very nice place to explore.  There were fountains and a kids museum where we entered up a flight of stairs.  The first animals we spotted were three of the longest hairy cats we have seen.  They would be a valuable asset to the gardens to keep the vermin down.  We never saw a dog all day.  Not running loose or on a leash. 

 

At this entrance, there was a lane of trees planted from all over the world.  Most of them were from tropical areas and do well in this climate.  We have always enjoyed seeing the aviary up here and followed the signs until we located it.  There was a flight of stairs to access it, but later we found a more convenient ramp.  We saw several types of parrots, doves, rare pigeons, and even a pair of silver pheasants.  Years ago we raised a variety of pheasants that included ringneck, golden, Amherst, and silvers.  Sure brought back good memories. 

 

One very nice touch up here are the benches that surround the entire large aviary.   Most all of the visitors were local families or people on a break from work.  This park is located a short distance up Nathan Road, which is loaded with every business imaginable.  We ended up staying here until 12pm.  Back down to the main walkway, we found our way to a large pond filled with koi carp and other compatible fish.   Lining the banks of the pond and some of the tree limbs were several big night herons.  Obviously, they were fishing in this pond for the smaller fish like mosquito fish.  Watching these birds is interesting as they are motionless until they spot something their size.  They dive quickly and catch their meal.   Further back and away from the pond's edge was a flock of flamingoes.   They did not have the dark salmon-colored plumage we see in the Walvis Bay Namibia birds, but that is due to their diet which is heavily shrimp.  We have seen these types of flocks in captivity that are fed a Purina flamingo chow with added color for their plumage.  Interesting. 

 

On our way out of the park, we passed by the Kowloon Park Swimming Pool, which was not opened yet.  A convenient McDonalds was there as well as other sports facilities.  It was also a good place for restrooms which were spotless.   Back out on Canton Road, we passed by several possible stores that might carry shoelaces.  Actually, that was our quest for the day.  We had no luck at all. 

 

Usually we walk far enough up Nathan Road to include stops at the Flower, Bird, and Goldfish Markets, the Ladies and Jade Markets,  but today it was extra warm and humid, and lunch with beer sounded like a better bet.  We used to go  back out in the late afternoon for a sweep through the Temple Street Night Market around 5pm.  How we did all that walking remains a mystery to us.   It was an easy decision not to attempt the Night Market  since we really did not need anything.

 

Before entering Harbor City at the Prince Hotel entrance, we happened to spot a favorite restaurant of ours – The Cheesecake Factory.  As many times that we entered here, we never noticed it as it was tucked back off of the road in a dead-end corner.   Checking the menu, they served our favorite salad, so we happily went in and got seated in the high-top table area.  Just like home.  We ordered Stella draft beers, a BBQ chicken salad to share, and later, one hot fudge sundae.  Good thing we had thought to keep breakfast on the lighter side.  It was pricey with our shared meal costing over $78 USD.  The price of alcohol is steeper here than elsewhere.  But it was well worth it.

 

On our way back through the maze of the shopping mall,  we came across a Dr. Marten shoe store.  Guess what?   They had a big display with all types of shoe laces.  We had brought the worn-out lace which the salesgirl measured and found some that would work.   They were not brown, but black would do.  So we bought two pair in case the dressy black shoelaces wear out too.  We have seen this shop in another port, like in Cairns or Sydney, and now we know where to get laces for all types of shoes.   While there on the third floor of the mall, we also spotted a possible lunch venue for tomorrow.  It was a place called Paper Moon with Italian cuisine and a pizza oven.  They opened at 11:30am and gladly took American Express.  We would return…. 

 

The entrance to the cruise terminal was down this end of the mall by using escalators to the right floor.  We were back to our room after going through security and the xray check in the terminal.  We did not go back to the Night Market but worked on photos and reports the rest of the afternoon.   

 

We went to dinner in the dining room which was half full.  Many folks had attended the Dinner Under The Stars held in the Seaview Poolside at 6pm.  It was a fixed menu with wine, of course.   The cost was $95 with an added 18% gratuity.  Those who attended said it was really nice.  At 8pm, there was the nightly laser light show on the Hong Kong Island side of the harbor.  We should have been able to see it from the upper dining room, but none of us saw it, including the wait staff.   The folks at the Seaview Pool  did see it and reported it lasted no more than 10 minutes tops.   We came to the conclusion that the tinted windows in the dining room prevented us from seeing the lasers.  Some of the diners had run from the dining room to go to deck three to watch the show.  They came back within 5 minutes and never commented on it.  So we assumed it never happened. 

 

For our meal, we started with smoked chicken appetizers and the Cantonese-style beef short ribs.   Excellent choice with stir-fry noodles and a honey teriyaki glaze.   Usually we do not have dessert, but tonight there was a strawberry shortcake and we had to try it.  Also very good.   We did make a quick trip to deck nine to see if the light show was happening at 9pm.  Nope, the show was at 8pm, but we did get some nice shots of the Hong Kong Island skyline. Even without the laser show, the lights towers and signposts lit up the harbor.  Also, the boats and ferries were decked out in lights and were fun to watch zooming back and forth across the harbor.  It is a busy city even into the wee hours of the morning.   

 

The World Stage featured a movie, Mercy, and did not have a live show.  The Wajang also had a movie called Shaolin Soccer, based in China.  As for us, we were done in and retired by 11pm after doing some computer work.  Ready for another day in Hong Kong tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

275 Pictures

Report # 90 Tuesday, March 31, 2026---Cruising The Qiongzhou Strait----Partly Cloudy---82 Degrees---75% Humidity---10mph Winds-----Dressy Dress

Finally, a day at sea to relax or was it?  During the late evening, the going got rough and we may have been experiencing the 8 foot seas the Captain had mentioned.  By the way, we forgot to mention that shortly before the Volendam pulled away from the dock in Halong Bay, a drone appeared in the sky passing back and forth on the port side of the ship.  It was a bit unnerving knowing we were being filmed by an unknown entity.  Not sure that flying these contraptions around a cruise ship is legal.  But we have to remind ourselves we are not in the United States anymore. 

 

It was fun at breakfast where several friends shared their day's activities in Halong Bay.  We all did something different and agreed it was a very interesting and fun visit there.   We have yet to hear how the trips to Hanoi went. 

 

One notice we got a few days ago was about Starlink outages that may occur around Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Limited by government restrictions, we may not have strong satellite coverage from April 1^st to the 5^th.  There may be slower browsing, partial loss of signal, and temporary outages.  For this reason, we have been asked to reduce our use of bandwidth intense services.  Thinking back to last year, we believe we had this same message.  However we do not think it came to fruition, or was very temporary.        

 

A walk for one of us on the promenade deck was good, while the other worked on labeling photos.  While we are on the subject of the promenade deck,  we all got a letter notifying everyone that NO jogging or running is allowed on that deck.  Deck two right under deck three has cabins, and it can sound like a herd of elephants running over your roof.   We know….we have been in those rooms in the past.  If you need to jog, the deck nine is your option.  And furthermore, we are all requested to walk counterclockwise to avoid accidents.  So that tells us there have been some of those accidents when the walkers cut the corners too close.  Some folks do not like other walkers on their heels, so they choose to walk opposite the traffic.  Not a good idea.

 

A third notice was printed in today's "The Daily"  newsletter.  This was concerning our transit of the Qiongzhou Strait, which happens to be a Chinese military zone.   So between the hours of 9am and 3pm, we were asked that all forms of photography and video were strictly prohibited during this time.  We were told the area was under close surveillance by the Chinese authorities, which we learned from Captain Frank at dinner that a security vessel did pass by the Volendam a few times during that period.  Our cooperation was highly appreciated.  However,  not everyone got the message and during his walk, Bill saw several people with cell phones holding them up from the lounges and snapping pictures.  Geez….sometimes we think we're on a ship with defiant little kids.

 

The Princeton Tailors from Hong Kong  boarded the ship a few days ago to sell custom-made garments to both men and women.  They have been onboard most every year ever since the Amsterdam took over the world cruises.    And it was back then that one of us had a tuxedo made, along with a matching vest and bowtie in silk brocade.   A white dinner jacket was also ordered well as two dress wing tip shirts. Following that, he had more vests and ties made every time we sailed the world as long we stopped in Hong Kong.    Unfortunately, in 2023 Luggage Forward lost three of our suitcases while shipping them to our home.  One was located, but the two that were never found had all of his formalwear, brand new dress shoes, and much of my stuff too.    We did get some compensation, but not nearly as much as the clothing was worth.   Lesson learned:  get the extra insurance before shipping.  It is quite affordable, especially when you may be getting some luggage shipped free.

 

So now we had the perfect opportunity to replace the tuxedo jacket and slacks, a silk brocade full vest with a matching bowtie, and one white wing-tip tuxedo shirt.  The new order should be delivered to our room by 2pm on April 2^nd and even better, we could charge it to our shipboard account and use some of the "use it or lose it" credit.    Now we hope it fits…….The tailor took numerous measurements, and it was done right outside the Ocean Bar.  Going to him at 5pm, there were no customers and he had lots of time to get it right. 

 

We snacked on crackers and cheese in our room instead of having a real lunch, since we had a special early dinner planned for this evening.  A few days ago we received an invitation from the Captain and Florin for an exclusive President's Club Event today, March 31^st.   Pre-dinner drinks were held in the Explorer's Lounge at 5:30pm, although most of our group were already seated well before that.   Dinner followed in the Pinnacle Grill at 6:15pm.    And the dress code was "dressy" although everyone else onboard was casual.   Much better and more comfortable than formal we think. 

 

Tables for four were set up in the back end of the Explorers Lounge and friends Cathy & Mike joined us.  As well as sailing on many world voyages together, they were also on the 2002 Asia Pacific Explorer cruise where we experienced those 55-foot seas near Dutch Harbor.  We still have memories from that near-disaster trip.  In all of the cruises we sailed, we never had the chance to meet until now.   We were served beverages of our choice along with some very tasty hors d'oeuvres.  The time flew by, and soon we were escorted a few at a time to the Pinnacle Grill.  We were the last to be taken with Gayle and Marty and brought to the back room where we dined with Captain Frank and his lovely wife Alexandra.   Instead of being seated at the long table, they were split up into two tables of six.   It was much easier to have a good visit because we could all hear each other talk.  Having sailed with the Captain and his wife ever since 2023, we were all at ease with the conversation, which was non-stop.  We enjoyed getting to know Marty and Gayle better as well. 

 

The menu was unlike any meal we have had in the Pinnacle Grill , created by the top chefs in the kitchen.  The starters were scallops in a strawberry jelly and colossal crab mini pillows.  Only one of us had these appetizers, due to the shellfish allergy.  Goat cheese and a potato and zucchini tempura was substituted…..thank you Lelik.    A Javanese-style oxtail soup followed with a shaved truffle over the top.  Tasty and different.  A palate cleanser was served next which had conflicting tastes.  Glad it was a mini serving.  The entrée was a beef ribeye with a nice gravy with the finale being a tiny chocolate box of coffee mousse.   All of us had been seated by 6:30pm, and the meal went to almost 9:30pm.   And we have to mention that wines were served with every course, except the palate cleanser.    They came from France, New Zealand, Oregon, California, and an Evening Amber liqueur with dessert.  Only the Captain and his wife indulged since the four of us do not drink the wine.   And come to think of it, Captain Frank prefers beer, which he had instead of the several wines.  

 

After dinner was over, the chefs and their assistants came through the dining rooms for a parade among the guests, who gave them a very loud applause.  On or way out, we stopped and thanked Florin for arranging this evening for our group.  Normally we only have one of these special dinners and that is when the new inductees are getting their pins.   Florin said we will do another one when that time comes later in the cruise. 

 

There was a show this evening on the World Stage with a saxophonist by the name of Ian Jacinto with funky soul and sultry jazz and more.  We'll have to catch it the next time he is on stage. 

 

So much for the relaxing day at sea. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

36 Pictures

Report #89 Monday, March 30, 2026--Halong Bay, Vietnam---8am-8:30pm---Docked Starboard Side To Pier---Dense Overcast And Haze--82 Degrees--75% Humidity---6.2mph Winds-----Casual Dress

Halong Bay, Vietnam, was our port of call today, the last on in this country.   The bow was opened at 6am for viewing, even though it was just getting light and the haze in the air was heavy below the overcast skies.  One of us was awake by 5am, and ready to watch the sailing around the monoliths right from the veranda.  It was much cooler today with temps in the high 70's and humidity up there at 84%.  The winds were 6.6 mph and did little to clear that sea or sun haze. 

 

While watching the various rocky limestone mounds, we also spotted a lot of floating Styrofoam chunks and plastic bottles, sort of ruining this unusual part of the world.  Ignoring the signs of flotsam, these karst limestone peaks, as they are called here, are situated in calm seas and number in the area of 2000 different little islands.  The scenery would have been superb had the sun decided to peek out.  It never did most of the day, so most of the photos we captured are going to be dull greys, black and white during their ethereal misty dawn, as it is called here. 

 

The Volendam docked starboard to the new pier, a first visit here for Captain Frank since the new port was finished.  He said the cruise terminal was also new, but was located very far from where we docked.  It would take electric-powered buggies to transport most people there.   Sure, it is walkable but in the heat, few people did it.   We were not alone in the port today as the Crystal Serenity was already there.  That ship is a little larger in size than the Volendam at 68,870 gross tons.  It holds up to 1000  guests with a 1 to 1 crew ratio.  The Serenity was refurbished in 2023 and their veranda cabins measure 215 square feet with a balcony of 54 square feet.  We would guess it is in the luxury cruising column, mostly all-inclusive.

 

There was a variety of tours offered today starting with the longest ones.  This port is the gateway to the capital of Hanoi and a 12-hour past and present Hanoi with lunch and dinner was $250.  Hanoi highlights was 9.5 hours for $180 including lunch.  A village visit was 7 hours and $120 while Hai Phong village and Halong countryside were both 5 hours at $160 and $80.  A visit to Yen Tu Monastery was 5 hours at $60, and a bay cruise and cave was 3.5 hours at $100.  A signature bay cruise was 3.5 hours for $130.  Kayaking the monoliths was 4 hours and $120.

 

Before we left the ship, we took the time to go to deck six forward and take some pictures from the starboard side.  We were alone out there when we heard tapping on a window.  Thinking it was workers down below, we turned around and spotted Captain Frank in the window of the bridge waving at us.   Nice that he took the time to wave hello. 

 

Anyway, we did none of those tours because there was a free shuttle taking us to Hong Gai Ward across a bridge to Vincom Plaza about a half hour drive from the ship.  They were scheduled to operate from 8am to 8pm and run every 15 minutes.  We left the ship before 10am during another drill practicing for a possible helicopter crash on the back deck.   The free shuttles were right there at the gangway.  The ride was scenic going through the port area that is undergoing a major project with towers of apartments or condos within a gated-like community.  A park was being planted and a full size sports and theme park was in the process of going up. 

 

This mall we went to was very modern with four levels and some nice stores that included Levis, H&M, and Nike Shoes.  The other stores were Asian more or less, not anything we know in the states.  But before we went inside, we decided to carefully cross the four-lane highway and walk the seawall facing the bay and several huge monoliths.  There were dozens of the brightly painted local fishing boats and some houseboats it appeared.  We hiked for about ½ mile getting pictures of the boats below and the limestone peaks very close to this area.  A few local fellows were fshing off of the bridge we walked, but more were fishing from the old wooden boats in the bay.  It appeared there was a fish market nearby with a small harbor where these boaters go to sell their catch. 

 

We had hoped to find some place suitable for pizza and beer, but it did not exist in this mall.  Walking each level, we found their nice grocery store similar to the one in Phu My.  We had been told tht if wanted to buy something in these markets, we would need local Dong.  Other than major credit cards, they did not accept US dollars in the stores or restaurants.  The souvenirs stand vendors and for sure, the taxi drivers/turned guides would take the US $$$ in a heartbeat.  There was a fourth floor food court with two venues.  One was a real restaurant and the other a fast food vendor.  Also located on the top floor was an arcade for both kids and adults and a theater that showed movies.  The popcorn did smell good though. 

 

We had one mission today at this mall and that was buying shoe laces for a pair of dress shoes.  Searching all four floors of this mall, we did not find one place that sold laces.  We even checked the supermarket, which was more like a Target once again.  We over heard a man telling some folks on the bus that he tried to buy hairspray in the supermarket, and was told they did not accept US dollars.  They would take credit cards but he did not trust that.  So the checker told him the price of the hairspray was the equivalent of $50 USD or 50,000 dong.  He thought that was excessive, but she insisted the dong was equal in price to the US dollar.  So not true, since that hairspray was marked 50,000 dong which computes to under $2 USD.  She wanted $50, and we sure hope he did not pay it.  Good grief….you have to do your homework on the conversions before you leave the ship.   Like we stated previously, the ship does not give us that information anymore as the money values change daily.  And the majority of people use their cell phones to double-check.  Sorry to say, but these days it is not wise to trust everyone. 

 

With no chance for pizza and beer, we decided to go back to the ship.  The shuttle was parked outside the mall, but was not leaving until the bottom of the hour at 12:30pm.    BY then another bus had arrived, and we were free to board the coach which filled up with guests in 10 minutes.   It took 20 minutes to arrive back at the ship.  At the point of the gangway, we either turned in our landing cards or kept them in case we wanted to go off the ship again later.   We held on to them, and later turned them in at the front desk.  Had we not turned them in, the ship could be delayed leaving and we would face a fine.  

 

We were making progress with photo sorting and report writing that we never did go back.  We had a lunch of salads and a shared sandwich and some ice-cold watermelon saved from yesterday.   At 3pm, we made a visit to the Princeton Tailors to check out their line of clothes.  However, no one was there even after waiting for 15 minutes.  We will have to come back tomorrow. 

 

As it began to get dark (there was no visible sunset), we could see the city lighting up with their main towers shimmering with multi-color flashing lights.   Most of it was on the Bai Chay Ward where the cruise terminal was located.   The flywheel was dancing with color and the gondolas from the towers that spanned the bridge were lit up as well.    Then the bridge was lit up with alternating colors.  This was so unexpected that it was really a treat to watch. 

 

The light show continued with party boats that even lit off fireworks while we ate dinner.   Our meal tonight was shrimp cocktails, one Pho soup, and chicken skewers. Mains were one barbacoa beef tenderloin slices  and one large and tasty pork chop.  Our treat for the night was a bowl of strawberry gelato and a glassful of tres leches cake pieces mixed with fruit and topped with whipped cream.    We were back to the room by 9pm, and figured we would be on our way by then, which we were.   Captain Frank blew the horn twice and we were on our way out of the bay.

 

Emer Barry was the singer this evening in the World Stage with "An Irish Girl in Hollywood).  

 

We sure are looking forward to a restful day at sea tomorrow. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

625 Pictures

Report #88 Sunday, March 29, 2026--Da Nang, Vietnam---7am-12:30pm---Docked Starboard Side To Pier---Hazy Turning To Sun--86 Degrees—70% Humidity---8.1mph Winds-------Casual Dress

Our port of call for today is Da Nang, Vietnam, a step up from our first stop up the river near Phu My, which was extremely industrial.  Da Nang is a city with a total population of 1,256,000 people as of April 2025.  It comprises of a very large area as well as Paracel Islands off of the coast.   The weather has a rainy season from November to December, and a dry season from January through October.   And the currency is the Vietnam dong @ 26,337 dong to the $1 USD.

 

We were here a year ago, if memory serves us right.   Since we had toured Hoi An and Hue previously, we decided to see how far we could get by walking from the port area.  It looked do-able, but the further we got, it appeared we were walking in a purely military and industrial area, with the city still miles away.    Due to the remoteness of the area and the humid heat, we took a taxi back to the port.   Fast forward to today, and the ship kindly provided a free shuttle to APEC Park in the city center.  These shuttles ran every 15 minutes from 7am to 12pm.  As you can see, our time was very limited today, so this shuttle worked out quite well.   All aboard was 12:30pm.

 

There were few customers at breakfast, but we did get some nice info regarding those personal neck fans we had asked about earlier in the trip.  A very sweet friend brought her new neck fan, which resembled a set of headphones.  What a great idea to use in this tropical weather, as well as in the summertime at home.  Then another fellow breakfast-goer happened to come by and said he just bought a set of those in the photo department on the ship.  Even better because Amazon does not deliver to the Volendam, ha-ha.  We will have to check this out when the ship leaves the port this afternoon.  

 

As for us, we left the ship around 9am and joined the shuttle bus waiting for customers.  We sure appreciate having this option, since in recent years the complimentary buses have been fewer and fewer.  As for the weather, it was going to be warm, but breezy.  The temps were in the mid 80's and the humidity was 70%.  Early in the morning there was a dense haze, but later, the winds picked up and we actually had some sun.  The bus ride was about ½ hour with scenery all the way.  The outskirts were industrial, but as we entered the downtown area, it was much nicer than Phu My. It was also located on the Han River.   We crossed over the famous Dragon Bridge that has a water and light show on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, but only at night.   Obviously, we would miss it. 

 

Our drop-off point APEC Park, right on the waterfront of the river.  The building there had an info table set up where convenient maps were handed out.   Outside near the street, tons of taxi drivers were offering cheap tours.  We must have said "no thanks" a dozen times within 5 minutes of leaving the bus.   From here, we strolled through the park, making our way to the river and a good vantage point to take photos of the Dragon Bridge.  We did remember being at this stop years ago while on a tour.  Since we were on our way out of town, our visit was short and probably the first of several restroom stops.  Today we followed the esplanade along the river which had many eateries, mostly fast-food style and cafes with tables and chairs under awnings.  There were benches along the way, but due to the time of day, about 99% of them were in the hot sun.  Most all of the food venues were not opened until later of course.  Cold beers sure would have been nice.  There was one wood-fired pizza café here but would not open until much later.  In fact, we ran into a friend who also likes pizza, and told us about it.  We all agreed that the tri-colored bougainvilleas in large pots were gorgeous.  From a distance, they looked artificial, but looking closer, they were real and probably well-fertilized.  

 

In the distance, we could see another bridge spanning the river called Tran Thi Ly Bridge and a flywheel called Sun World behind it.  More than likely, another night event.  This area near the river seemed to be full of high- end hotels and this promenade would serve them well.   The time was getting away from us, so we turned around and headed back to the park.  In the center of this park was a innovative upper level, shaded with a wild design of a roof.  Of course we needed to see what was up there, and it turned out to be a concert venue.  Also up there were two separate groups of Asian tourists taking photos of their groups wearing and tossing coned Chinese hats.   Very amusing…..

 

Going down a ramp, we were back at the bus stop.  If we had more time, we could have visited the Han Market, which resembled Paddy's Market in Sydney, only smaller.  We were told it was a 20 minute walk, so we did not attempt it.  Did we need anything there?   Nope.

 

We were back on the ship by noontime and eventually ordered a light lunch.  Around 1pm, Captain Frank came on with his news of the day.  He predicted 15 to 25 mph winds tomorrow with swells up to 8 feet.   We had 300 nautical miles to reach Halong Bay going north and following the Vietnam coast.  He guessed our docking would be around 8am with the Crystal Serenity docked across from us.  He said the pier was new as well as the terminal.  And the good news again was there would be a free shuttle to downtown.  We left the port by 1:45pm after a tour arrived back late. 

 

Our veranda was so hot, you could have fried an egg out there.  It sure did not stop the dragon flies from landing on the walls, floor, and railings.  Good thing they did not bite.  We worked online until dinnertime.

 

Our appetizers were one pork and seafood spring roll with glass noodles and an everyday shrimp cocktail with the red sauce.  Love it.  One of us had the tenderloin and rice chimichanga-style and the other had the everyday lasagna.  Desserts were a sliced banana, and one thin slice of blueberry pie without the ice cream by accident.

 

The World Stage hosted vocalist Matthew Croke with a magical brand-new show.  Don't you just love the descriptions.  Good reviews, however.

 

Tomorrow we will visit the final Vietnamese port of Halong Bay, a first time for us.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

318 Pictures

Report #87 Saturday, March 28, 2026---Sea Day Enroute To Da Nang, Vietnam---Sunny---79 Degrees---77% Humidity---12.3mph Winds---3' Swell---Ships Speed 14 Knots-----Dressy Dress

A day at sea was most welcomed once again.  As the voyage continues from here on, there will be fewer days in between ports to relax and recover.  One of the positive aspects of traveling north now, is the fact it will cool off.  The humidity and temperature should be a lot more comfortable too. 

 

We're not sure we mentioned this, but many of us on our deck have requested the USA Times or Canadian paper to be delivered to our rooms early every morning.  A long time ago, this was automatic where everyone got a small newspaper.  So it has worked well up to Singapore, where our delivery stopped.  After a couple of days passed without the paper,  we asked the front desk folks to please send it again.  They said they never stopped it.  So checking with our room stewards, they were sure they never missed a day of their delivery.  The only answer to that was someone was stealing it.  Can you believe that?  Little do they know our names are on it, and our room guys are going to look for that.  Better yet, they will leave it in our room after they service it in the morning. Sounds like a good plan to us.  However, we would love to put a note on or mail slot saying that "You are on candid camera!"

 

The day started off with temperatures in the 80's with the humidity at 77%.  The winds of 12.3 mph did little to clear the sea or sun haze that seems to shroud the coastline and scattered islands to the point we can hardly see it.    At breakfast, we shared stories of our exploits from yesterday's port of Phuoc An, and caught up with an overland trip some friends did to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. 

 

The morning was used for a deck walk and computer work, trying to catch up on reports and pictures.  We are still a day behind but are doing our best.  

 

We had some more quality time with our Aussie buddy, who paid us a visit at the Seaview Pool.   Hope he is not "toasted" because the sun was more intense than we expected.   We all stayed until Captain Frank's talk was complete.  The sound was not the best from the speakers but the best we heard was we had another 247 miles to reach Da Nang tomorrow.

 

It was time for our two-week delivery of sodas.  But this time we asked for flowers for one of us since the cokes are piling up.  The sodas came to our room, but they were expired by over a week.    This is the second time this cruise that happened.  They promised to pick them up and come back tomorrow with the order of 20 Coke Zeros.

 

We just realized there has been no photo contest on the cruise so far.   Perhaps that activity had been dropped.    However, the photographers seem to be in the dining room every night, which is OK, but we do not like it while dining in the Pinnacle Grill.   We shall have to pay Florin a visit and inquire about that.  That department is not owned by HAL and is contracted out we think.  So they might have their own rules we do not know about.

 

There was an exclusive High Tea Experience held in the dining room at 3pm.  We are not certain what is different about it, but we did see the gigantic Art of Tea pot being brought through the Pinnacle Grill.    We are not tea drinkers, so we will never know what this is about. 

 

We shared a sandwich with French fries from room service.  A 4pm matinee performance by the magician Sunny Chen took place in the World Stage.   That's the first we have seen during that time of the day.

 

Dinner was "dressy" and most guests did just that.  The menu was on the formal side with a brie and cranberry appetizer, Caesar salad, and mains of surf & turf.  The surf was lobster, which only one of us had, and the turf was tenderloin with a gravy.   Sliced watermelon and a small serving of apple streusel was just right and very tasty.   We noticed there was something happening in the Kings Room.  It turned out to be a private birthday party which can be booked and paid for ahead of time.

 

When we got back to our room, there was a knock on the door.  It was the florist onboard with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  It was artistically arranged too.  

 

Vocalist Emer Barry (no relation)  took the stage this evening with Irish, British and Italian songs.  In addition to this show, there was a Night of Music with all of the ship's bands playing in different venues from 4pm to 11:15pm.   So much for another day at sea.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

PS    We researched what one bottle of Macallan's 007 cost.  The price was $2200.  Whew…..  It was the bottle we saw in Raffles window while in Singapore.

 

No Pictures

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

334 Pictures

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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