Sunday, January 30, 2022

We were in San Diego today, at least the ship was.  We had thought about taking the HOHO bus, but the walk to the stop would have been too long and the weather was cooler than we prepared for, so we stayed on board.

Today was also the Dance of the Passports and antigen testing.  We had to be on line for antigen tests, required of all round-trip passengers, at 7 a.m. Following testing, we were to return to our cabins and wait for a phone call in case we tested positive for Covid.  Twenty-five minutes into that half-hour, the phone rang but only so a representative could tell us that the results were in the mailbox by our door.  Fortunately, but not surprisingly, we tested negative and headed off to breakfast.

The next step was  to present ourselves to immigration officials who compared our passport pictures to our unmasked faces. No problem, really, except D managed to complicate the procedure.  We were going to wait in the Ocean Bar for our turn because our room had not been cleaned, so D returned to the room to retrieve MA's book and glasses.  On the way back to the bar, he held his hand out to hold the elevator for someone and somehow got his finger jammed in the door.  Ouch!  He was able to disengage it with little assistance from others on the elevator and continued to the Ocean Bar with the book and glasses.

Worried that he might have done something serious, he and MA agreed that he should probably consult the folks in the Medical Suite.  After a stop at the Front Desk for a bandage, he was escorted to the medical area where the would was tended to by a nurse after being examined by a doctor.  While he was there, MA was worried enough to call and said she would be in the bar waiting.  When D was finally dismissed, he discovered that she had left the bar but hadn't gone far.  Worried that she would miss the immigration inspection, she had walked down the hall to the MDR where the officers were.  He did the Dance of the Passports without having to wait [since almost everyone else on the ship had gone through] and off they went.

We took our books, tablets and the cell phone to the Crow's Nest for iced cappuccinos and biscotti and watched the city from high in the ship.  Since we were back in the States, we used the phone to video chat with both children as well as a hurried "hi" from Harper who had friends at the house and was too busy to talk to us.  An added bonus for us was that we were parked next to the Midway Museum housed in the former aircraft carrier.  Remembering that this was the ship MA's brother Tim had served on, D took a picture and sent it Tim who responded with his thanks and the fact that he has visited it twice.

Around 12:20 we went to the room to watch the championship football games even though we had no skin in the game, as it were.  Just before half-time, D went to the Lido and fetched hot dogs and fries to put us in game mode.  We continued watching both close games to their conclusion, except...

While we watched, D called the Medical Center and spoke to a nurse who told him to apply pressure and soak the finger in a bag of ice; she sent a glove to put over his bandaged finger and a plastic bag for ice [which she did not send], so D stuck his hand in the ice bucket for 20 minutes or so before going to see the nurse. The doctor checked his would again and the nurse re-wrapped the offending finger and said to return Monday morning.

We were at our new table tonight and it is a nice table for four by a window, as promised.  The MDR was crowded with Anytime Dining patrons most of whom finished and left before we were served our entrees.  Danan, our waiter, says we are his only table at the 8 o'clock time slot, so service is excellent.  He fills the rest of the shift assisting others and setting up tables for breakfast.  There is no such thing as time off for these folks.

Dessert tonight, by special request by us and effort by Danan, was pistachio ice cream which he finagled somehow.  He is going to try again tomorrow and has said he will see if he can get us "real" Indonesian food from the crew kitchen one night [albeit toned down for our heat tolerance].  Off to the casino where they have upgraded the software on the slots and downgraded the payouts.  MA broke even tonight although it was a struggle.  D lost $5 on the slots and switched to blackjack where he parlayed a $50 investment into $135.  Now he can have that operation.

Since we're heading toward the East Coast, we have to give back the extra hour of sleep we got last night and set the clocks ahead an hour.  We will do this twice more before we get home.

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day

Saturday, January 29, 2022 

 One of the most hallowed traditions of cruising, at least for us, is the SCAN.  Normally conducted between lunch and trivia [at least on this trip], it fell victim to "circumstances beyond our control." Somehow, MA's necklaces got tangled, both individually and in pairs, and she has spent the previous two evenings before bed trying to untangle them to no avail.  She started early today -- right after lunch -- but was no more successful.  And she didn't get the nap.  D secured tiny safety pins from the front office, but they didn't help; he also called the laundry to try to get some without any luck.  Finally, after trivia and before dinner, she untangled the last one.  Now the project becomes finding a way to keep them from tangling again before we get home. 

Today was the last sea day before landing in San Diego and also our last day with MDR steward Roy who has been mentioned before.  He appeared at our table this morning in all his puckish glory and "played the game" one last time.  Unbidden, two bowls of berries appeared on the table "from Roy," said the waiter.  Then he tried to foist a half-grapefruit on us "from Roy."  Roy himself came several times to chat and joke with us.  We will miss him and his antics, but he will be happy to go home to his wife and children [at least for a while]. 

 Lunch in the Pinnacle Grill [or the Pineapple Grill, as we call it] was disappointing despite the pavlova for dessert.  In general, we have been disappointed by the food choices and quality; it is obvious that the standards and expectations have been lowered in the name of the bottom line.  Still, we have been impressed with the attitude and efficiency of the waitstaff in every venue; it is only the food itself which is lacking. Likewise, the staff in the Ocean Bar has been attentive and anticipates our drink order before we even sit down.  There are two factors at work here -- the staff is good and we are too predictable.  

On the other hand, the cabin stewards are mediocre.  They are pleasant enough but not as thorough as they should be -- we have been watching a dental pick on the floor by the closets for two weeks; it has not moved.  In the same vein of mediocrity, the bed is not made evenly so the covers are always longer on one side of the bed than the other.  It's the little things. 

 Tonight was also our last dinner with Ken and Lois.  Although their appearance at the table two weeks ago was a surprise, we have enjoyed sharing meals as well as trivia answers. [Side note: When D wore his HAL 9000 hat to Walmart the other day, one of the employees asked what it meant, so D had to explain HAL as Holland America Line and as the HAL computer in 2001. He made no attempt to explain the HAL 9000 trivia team.] 

 We never heard from Cruise Friend Richard who wrote that he might be in San Diego tomorrow if we wanted to get lunch.  And MA's back and walking are such right now that we will not attempt to walk to the HOHO bus which stops nearby.  Result?  Another sea day in port on an empty ship.  .

Tomorrow -- Are you ready for some football?

Friday, January 28, 2022 

Last night at supper we learned that only 700 passengers are booked for the return cruise to Ft. Lauderdale.  We thought the ship felt empty with 835 people on this first leg, but this is hard to believe.  How low is the passenger count?  The dining room manager came to our table and asked if we would be willing to move to the lower level dining room at a comparable window table and with our regular servers.  The hope/plan is to close the upper seating area completely.  Since it is not used for breakfast or lunch anyway, this would eliminate setting up the tables each night.  We agreed to move.  Besides, if the Dining Room Gods decide to do it, we would have no choice.  At least this way, we can keep our servers whom we like. 

Danan and his assistant, whose name we can neither spell nor pronounce, have given us good service.  They are personable and "play the game" well.  As for service, they never fail to bring us tempura vegetables and Wednesday saved a pavlova [meringue] dessert for MA for Thursday.  Without being asked or reminded, they appeared with not one but two desserts, one for each of us.  MA would be happy if they surprised her again, but we did not want to press our luck and ask for them again. 

As we sailed north toward San Diego, the outside temperature had dropped and may be in the 60's tomorrow, quite a change from the 90's we experienced just a day or two ago.  On the other hand, the Mid-Atlantic and New England are expecting 2 to 20 inches of snow this weekend and Florida temps will be low enough that iguanas will fall from the trees, so 60 degrees sounds pretty good. 

Today's "mail" was an announcement about Covid testing and CBP/immigration inspections prior to disembarkation in San Diego.  As continuing passengers, we must be tested again [remember the 2-day test window prior to boarding?].  This will verify whether we have contracted the virus while on board.  Everyone will have to have a passport and document check regardless of their travel plans on Sunday.  The downside of this is that the antigen tests are supposed to take place at 7 a.m. on Sunday when we would normally be snug in our bed. 

The good news is that our account will roll over to the return trip, so we don't have to hurriedly spend whatever is left of our OBC [on-board credit].  Obviously, we will have to squander it before we dock in two weeks.  We also have to close out our casino accounts and cash in whatever is left of our slot machine money.  For MA, this should be almost $150; for D, less than $20 although he has fought back at the blackjack table and is even or maybe a tiny bit ahead.  

Tonight was the third [and last] gala night on this leg, but there will be three more on the return to Florida. 

Tomorrow -- The Last Full Day of the First Leg

Thursday, January 27, 2002 

 Puerto Vallarta has changed since we were here on our first cruise in 1986.  Then is was a little fishing village full of little shops and a flea market under a tent.  Today it is just another growing city filled aminly, it seems, with high-rise apartment/condo buildings.  There doesn't seem to be a downtown office core as in other cities, but PV is built on tourism, not industry or finance. 

As far as we were concerned, it was another in the series of sea-days-in-port.  We slept too late to breakfast in the MDR so settled on the Lido despite prior experiences.  MA was pleased to get a bowl of fresh pineapple, a welcome change from berries, and D had an omelet.  The day was spent reading and working on puzzles and MA left the cabin only for trivia and dinner [and the casino after, of course]. 

D, meanwhile, spent some time ashore although he didn't venture far.  From our balcony, we could see a Walmart in the near distance, so he decided to do a little shopping.  We were running out of Kleenex and other toiletries; what better place than Walmart to find them?   [With apologies to Briton who abhors the Big W]  In 2010, we did the same thing when we took a shuttle from the Prinsendam to what turned out to be a Walmart in Tilbury, England. 

Immediately in front of the ship was an 8-lane roadway which D had to navigate to reach the store.  Before he could get to it, he had to trek through the obligatory port-side shopping area which had everything from alleged duty-free shopping to ice cream and t-shirts and everything in between including a pharmacy of sorts.  There was no way to the outside world without zigzagging through this mecca of merchandise. 

Having made it through this mini-mall and across the street, he was finally able to get out of the sun and into the welcome relief of the air conditioning.  He was able to find everything on his short list without assistance [none of the clerks he approached spoke English] and had no trouble using his credit card.  In fact, by the time he returned to the ship, the credit card folks had sent emails to verify the purchases.  

 Back out into the sun for the return journey across what may be Puerto Vallarta's main artery, he escaped injury and wended his way through the mall again.  This time, he stopped in a tourist tchotchke shop and bought 2 tee-shirts for MA.  The old expression -- been there, did that, got the tee-shirt.  Well, we did nothing but got the shirts anyway.  We may get more in Huatulco on the return cruise. 

Tomorrow and tomorrow yet again -- Sea Days

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Once again, we spent the day sailing which is great for us -- we came for the cruising rather than the ports.  Our goal [well, the captain's] is Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  We have no idea what time we are supposed to arrive or leave; we hope the captain does.

The day was spent relaxing as usual although we did hit the casino twice, once after trivia and again after dinner.  We have become fond of the one game which has an 8 cent minimum whereas some so-called penny slots have as much as an 88-cent minimum bet.  So far, MA is ahead by more than $100, much better than D did at blackjack before he became a convert.

Tomorrow -- Puerto Vallarta  

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 

Today was part sea day and part port day. We were headed for Huatulco, Mexico, with an expected arrival time of 1 pm.  Around noon, the captain gave a long involved explanation of currents and winds as a way of alerting us to the fact that we would be about 30 minutes late docking; as a result, we left 30 later than scheduled.  This change was probably made to accommodate shore excursions. 

We slept in this morning and were too late for breakfast in the MDR.  We settled for an inadequate meal in the Lido [watery meusli and watery scrambled eggs] but followed it with iced capps and biscotti in the Crow's Nest which proved to be much more satisfying.  Back in the cabin, we did the NYT crossword and caught up on internet stuff before going to lunch. 

As we approached the port, we were told that whales had been spotted near the shore.  We went to the verandah but only saw what appeared to be flying fish jumping out of the water. As MA said, we've seen whales in Alaska, so it's no big deal.

After lunch in the Lido, we sat on the balcony and read for a little while until the heat got to us.  Since neither of us slept well last night, we had an afternoon siesta; even D tried to nap for a change.  We dragged ourselves awake in time for trivia where we came in first [finally!], but the victory was tainted by the fact that most of the regular teams were off the ship doing touristy things.  Regardless, a win is a win.

Because we were in port, the shops and casino were closed, so we held on to our money until after dinner when we hit the slots again.  Tomorrow is a sea day when we can make up for lost time.

Tomorrow --  Yet Another Sea Day

Monday, January 24, 2022 

It's another sea day with all that implies.  We ate, we read, we "rested."  After lunch [of sorts] by the pool, we visited the casino where MA continued to snowball her winnings on "her" slot machine while D broke even playing blackjack. 

 To celebrate MA's success, we spent some time and money in the shops buying her several new shirts.  There was nothing on display in D's size but the clerk said she would check the storeroom and let us know.  We are hoping that the shop will get new stock in San Diego. 

We went to the casino after trivia today.  Our luck playing slots was infinitely better than our trivia score.  To top it off, someone left MA's favorite machine without cashing out and left her an additional $18.  D did better on the machine than at the tables; at 8 cents a spin, $20 lasts a lot longer than it does playing blackjack. 

We skipped the Four Seasons tribute band after dinner.  We have the cast recording of Jersey Boys downloaded to D's tablet, so we can listen any time we want. 

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day and a Port Day All in One.

Sunday, January 23, 2022 

Today was a sea day in port again.  Although we are docked in Punta Caldera, most of the cruise lines consider this to be the gateway to Punta Arenas.  We saw no reason to break our streak and stayed on board all day.  Ken and Lois walked to the end of the dock to the craft vendors and cafes but told us upon their return that we had made a smart decision.  It was hot and sunny without being oppressively humid, but we weren't able to stay on the verandah for very long and read and computed inside. 

We were awake early, had both breakfast and lunch early and spent much of the day watching football again.  The highlight was Tampa Bay and Tom Terrific's loss in the early game.  We watched the first half of the Buffalo - Kansas City game before going to dinner but were not as invested in its outcome. 

We ate dinner tonight at the Pinnacle Grill, HAL's extra-cost steak house.  As frequent cruisers, we each get a free dinner on every cruise [and remember that this is technically two cruises] plus an extra dinner at the Pinnacle and Caneletto [on each leg] as part of the package we booked.  Even though many of the passengers have the same package, the restaurant was empty.  On the other hand, we got exquisite service along with a really yummy meal. [With apologies to Jon for including the menu, MA had a jumbo-shrimp cocktail and a vegetable tart tatin while D beef tartare and lamb chops.  Her dessert was a cheese plate; his was key lime pie.] When we left, we waddled, but it was worth it.  We will return for MA's birthday on the return trip and may have lunch at the Pinnacle as well. 

Like almost every other aspect of HAL, the Pinnacle experience has changed, too.  MA does not like beef [the mainstay of steakhouses, obviously] and on past visits has enjoyed swordfish there.  Alas, it has disappeared from the menu.  Portions have gotten smaller, too,  Similarly, in the MDR there are fewer choices for diners and "always available" items like chicken and steak are no longer printed on the menu.  When we asked the assistant dining room manager about special requests, he seemed hesitant to answer but gave the impression that they were discouraged; when we sailed with Hotel Manager Fermin, he told us we and other passengers could have anything available if we gave enough notice.  Fermin was referencing MA's escargot which the current manager said could not be done for logistical reasons.  

The decreased options and smaller portions are the result of "business decisions." That was the phrase used by a HAL suit at dinner a few years ago -- everything was a business decision.  That's why the bars no longer have swizzle sticks.  It was a business decision.  Did we mention that the bar offered MA angel hair pasta to stir her drink with the warning that it might "melt" in her drink?  Now the staff brings a paper straw which isn't much sturdier.  This ship was laid up for over 18 months and has only been in service since Christmas, yet both soft serve ice cream machines need parts replaced.  A business decision?  How about the the few flavor options for ice cream?  A business decision.  And the people who make these decisions should have to use the toilet paper and tissue used on board. It's the little things that new cruisers won't notice that build up resentment in those who have sailed for years.  It's a death by a thousand cuts.  

D's father said the line started to decline when they changed from plastic to wooden swizzle sticks.  The change was not for environmental reasons -- it was a business decision, like eliminating them altogether.  Another business decision -- appetizers in the bars before dinner: They went from self-serve little buffets to prepared plates to zero.  A business decision.  The customer experience is no longer a priority.  It's as if HAL doesn't care about aggravating and losing long-standing customers if they can bring in lots of newbies.  Instead of concentrating on "destination cruises," the profits are in the 7 - 10 day cruises for younger customers who will spend more in the bars. Business decisions. 

Fewer activities, less staff and the elimination of prizes for contests won't be noticed by people who have never cruised.  They won't be surprised when their cabin stewards ask if the want morning or evening cleaning service and they won't know that they can ask for both.  Business decisions.  Despite all of the cuts, we are still enthusiastic about cruising and are too invested in HAL to change lines now.  Maybe they are counting on that. 

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day at Sea With No Decisions

 Saturday, January 22, 2022

Yesterday's entry was late being uploaded "due to technical difficulties." The ship's Wi-Fi signal is not as strong in some parts of the ship as others and currently is noted as "weak" on the icon on the laptop.  This is not unusual; when we sailed on the Prinsendam, we learned that the connection was better when the cabin door was left open.  This is not an option on the Covid-dam.

Speaking of Covid...We are not sure if we are surprised by the passengers' acceptance of mask requirements or by the small number who try flout the system.  For the most part, people are complying, but there are always a few who think they are more important than the rest of us.  Despite the close quarters at trivia, there are players who do not mask up because they are drinking when, in fact, they have a drink on the table.  By contrast, Ken lowers his mask to drink and then pulls it back over his nose and mouth,  Still, we feel safer here than at the grocery store or other public places at home.

Prior to leaving last week, we enriched Jeff Bezos some more by buying KN-95 masks in a variety of colors.  D tries to find the best combination he can.  There's an orange one which matches a shirt; also a red one that goes with today's polo; and even a blue one which goes well with his blue formal wear accessories.

We expect to be tested again before we reach San Diego to comply with HAL's two-days-prior-to-cruising testing policy since we are technically taking 2 cruises.  We don't know if all passengers will be tested prior to disembarkation.  And we know we will be swabbing ourselves before we can enter the Canal on the return trip.

MA's back was so sore this morning that we skipped the MDR.  D went to the yuppie coffee station in the Crow's Nest bar and got hot water for her tea.  He didn't realize just how far it is from the bow to the stern [about 900 feet] until he did it with 2 paper cups of scalding water.  Later in the morning, MA got a manicure while D killed time by the Lido pool waiting for her; he also used this time to shlep the previously mentioned bottle of wine to the MDR.

Otherwise, it was just another sea day.  Dinner tonight was a Gala Night which gave D another chance to wear his tuxedo.  We have seen no others which is disappointing but nor surprising.  D seems to be the only one who also wears a coat and tie every night, too; we all have our own concepts of "smart casual."

As for Gala Night, MA was able to order escargots, so she was happy, but , in general, the menus for this and everyday are less inspired with less variety and without some of HAL's traditional offerings.  To add insult to injury, some items which used to be available for the asking are now offered for a up-charge.  At least we have yet to be charged for our nightly tempura vegetables.

After dinner we returned to the cabin to watch the end of the Green Bay-San Francisco football game.  We watched part of the early game as well.  

Tomorrow -- Puerto Caldera and Business Decisions

Friday, January 21, 2022 

We anchored today off of Fuerte Amador, the gateway to Panama City.  We could see the downtown across the water -- a very tall city with myriad modern skyscrapers.  For no reason, we had not expected such architecture or height.  All the same, from here it was just another large city. 

Those who have looked at the map of our route will note that this was not on the original itinerary.  As mentioned the other day, it was substituted for Cartagena more or less at the last minute.  Even so, there were plenty of shore excursions offered and people were heading to the tenders shortly after 8 o'clock.  Not us. 

The remainder of our trip has been modified as well.  We are not stopping in Nicaragua or Guatemala and the visit to Costa Rica has been pushed back to Sunday.  We have no problem with these changes, not because we have no plans [we don't] but because we understand that stuff happens.  At least we are still cruising unlike travelers who were abroad when the pandemic first struck, many of whom were stranded on the other side of the globe in 2020. 

The day itself was the typical sea day during which we ate, rested, read and played trivia. 

The high point -- and it wasn't so very high -- involved the cheap bubbly which was in an ice bucket in the cabin when we arrived.  D went to the Food and Beverage Manager and asked if we could swap this bottle for something else.  We have done this on many cruises, the bubbly being horrid.  The FBM said it would not be a problem and, half an hour later, just as MA began the SCAN, there was a knock on the door.  When D opened it, there was a young woman from the Beverage Department with the bottle of white zinfindel D had requested.  The swap was made and D will take the bottle to the MDR to have with dinner.  Maybe we will get another bottle for the return trip.

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day and Formal Night

Thursday, January 20, 2022

It was a sea day without the sea, at least until the very end.  Our transit of the Panama Canal began without us close to 6:30 this morning.  It was still dark and we slept through it.  We didn't miss much and had the whole day to take in the wonder of the canal.  

Unlike other canals we have cruised [Suez, Kiel, Rhine/Main], the Panama Canal is really a series of lakes connected by locks which raise or lower the water level so the ships "step" up or down to the next lake. 

This is necessary because the water levels are different at the Atlantic and Pacific sides.  The canal was started by the French who assumed their success in the Suez would translate into more success in Central America; they had not had to build locks in the Suez Canal which is essentially a big ditch.   Compounding their troubles, the French engineers had no experience with either mountains or mosquitoes which carried yellow fever.  And the heat and humidity were brutal. [As an aside, Panama hats are made in Ecuador but got their name because the workers on the Canal wore them.]

Originally, ships were dragged through the locks by mules which pulled cables attached to the ships.  They were replaced by electric trains which operate on a cog track.  The trains are still called mules. As the day progressed, we passed through three sets of locks. finally emerging opposite Panama City where we parked in the open water so tenders can take tourists ashore tomorrow.

We spent much of the day on the balcony watching the canal pass by.  It was reminiscent of cruising through the ends of Norwegian fjords -- lots of low greenery with higher elevations in the background.

Before lunch, D visited the Future Cruise Consultant to discuss a voyage on the new Rotterdam.  He had gotten information from a HAL agent via email yesterday but hoped for better results with a face-to-face.  Success!  He was able to book a rear balcony cabin similar to the current one in a better location for less money. 

MA had a SCAN [senior citizen afternoon nap] while D took pictures, and then it was off to trivia .  We came in second today but didn't care.  We continue to have fun which is the whole point.  The four of us stopped at the casino before returning to our cabins.  Ken and Lois were not at dinner tonight and it was strangely quiet.  

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day in Port

 

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

It's another sea day, so we did the usual -- nothing.  

The seas were rocking and rolling after 2:30 this morning but had calmed considerably by the time we went to breakfast.  When we checked  in at the MDR, we asked for a table for 2 with Roy, but ended up at a table by the rear window with Danon as our waiter; he is our dinner waiter, so everything was fine.  The table, like yesterday's, is pretty much under our cabin and right over the screws.  On Deck 7, we can barely hear them or feel their vibration, but in the MDR it is quite noticeable. [Roy found us as we finished and stayed around to talk for 10 or 15 minutes.  We'll ask again tomorrow.]

As a condition of passage through the Panama Canal, the local authorities [i.e., the Panamanian government] requires that each passenger take a rapid Covid test.  Passengers were called by deck number starting at the bottom of the ship so we were among the last since we are on Deck 7.  We waited in the room, reading, while we waited to be called.  When it was finally our turn, we trooped to the test site and swabbed our own noses as we had done last Friday.  We were supposed to return to the cabin and wait for 30 minutes.  If we received a phone call, we would have to have a PCR test.  If there was no call, we could leave the room after the 30 minutes.  Being the obedient people we are, we went to the Crow's Nest and got iced cappucinnos and biscotti while we watched Cartagena, Colombia, in the distance.  We figured the authorities would leave a message if we were not home.

Apparently, US law requires the ship to make a stop at a "distant" port before returning to the States.  For some reason, Central American ports do not count but Colombia does.  However, Colombian officials have closed Cartagena to cruise ships because of You-Know-What, so the stop was only 2 hours which we spent anchored offshore and no one, obviously, left the ship.  As compensation for missing Cartagena, we will be spending a day in Panama on Friday.

MA was not hungry for lunch following our big meal last night, so she stayed in the cabin when D went to the Lido for a light lunch -- 3 pieces of sushi and 2 spring rolls accompanied by a Diet Coke which he didn't finish.  MA nursed a protein bar all afternoon.  We read most of the afternoon. mostly on the balcony.  We are looking forward to watching our transit of the Panama Canal; actually, we will watch it backward.

After team trivia [3rd or fourth today but who cares?], we went next door to the casino where MA played slots and D played blackjack.  Both came out ahead which means D is now even for the week.

As we have done and will continue to do most days, we sent laundry out this morning.  As "frequent fliers," we get free laundry and pressing service and take advantage of it.  Yesterday's laundry was returned while we were at dinner and we hope that will be the standard.  On other cruises the turn-around time was so fast that not everything was completely dry when it returned, but so far, so good.  We have learned, the hard way, not to send anything new unless we want it to shrink.  New t-shirts have come back a size smaller. 

Tomorrow  --  Transiting the Panama Canal

  

Tuesday, January 18, 2002  --  At Sea

We followed the sea day routine again today -- breakfast in the MDR, reading, trivia, eat, eat, eat.  Taking a cruise is like flying across an ocean: you literally eat your way around the world.

We were lazy this morning.  For some reason, we were both tired and took a nap before lunch instead of in the afternoon. So, we ate breakfast, read, napped and then went to the Lido Deck for lunch at 1 pm [by which time the dining room was closed].  Lunch was hot dog with onion straws [MA] and a brat with curry sauce [D] and French fries all around washed down with Diet Cokes.  [This part of the entry was for Jon]

By the time we finished dessert [ice cream[, it was too late to attend the classical program, but D wasn't too distressed -- a program of Schumann's music for string quartets wasn't high on his list.  We returned to the room and read.  We also spent some rime sitting on the balcony just watching the wake and the sky. 

At breakfast this morning we were surprised by the appearance of Roy, our dining room steward from 2016.  Not only had he served us then, we were able to have him most mornings for breakfast on a different cruise in 2017.  He may not have remembered our names, but remembered MA was known as the Basil Lady because the kitchen consistently mis-made her basil and goat cheese omelettes.  Now that we know he is here, we will ask to seated in his section for breakfast until we get to San Diego where he will leave the ship.

Afternoon trivia was again crowded.  It's hard to imagine what it would be if the ship were not less than half full.  According to one of the girls at the front desk, there are only 835 passengers on this two-week leg of the cruise.  When the ship sailed from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale, there were about 900.   

As for trivia, we had a good time.  No right answers were ignored for a change but we ended up in third place today based on the self-congratulatory applause at the end.  We went back to the room after talking more with our partners and caught up on internet stuff, read and shared an apple.

More Living in the Past --  As recently as 2019, at the time of our last cruise, it was customary for cabin stewards [or someone] to place a fruit bowl in each cabin, replenished as necessary.  We usually told the stewards to remove the fruit so it would not go to waste.  This year, there was no fruit in the cabin upon our arrival, so we asked the steward to bring some apples.  Nothing,  Nada.  Zip.  When we inquired, he asked if we wanted red or green apples, Red, we said.  Nothing happened.  The apples finally arrived today in time for our afternoon snack.  Planning ahead, we had brought cinnamon and peanut butter to have with them. 

Dinner tonight was at the Caneletto, HAL's Italian themed restaurant.  The food was excellent and we were quite full when we waddled out.  Since the restaurant is close to the pointy end of the ship, we decided to visit the casino for a few minutes.  Once we had spent our limit, we trekked back the practically the entire length of the ship to the elevators nearest our cabin.  We found the laundry we sent out this morning had been returned, so we put it away before MA got ready for bed and D cranked out today's journal

Tomorrow -- Another Sea Day and a Discussion of Laundry

 Monday, January 17, 2002 -- At Sea

The best thing about sea days is that there is nowhere to go and nothing to do.  So we went nowhere and did almost nothing.  We followed our usual sea day routine today by having breakfast in the MDR.  When we returned to the cabin, MA rearranged her clothes so she could find things while D went to the front desk to ask questions.  She then caught up on Facebook while D sat on the verandah [a fancy word for porch] and read.  MA joined him after a while and there we stayed until returning to the MDR for a light lunch.

There was a classical music presentation scheduled for 2 pm, so MA read some more while D was getting cultured.  He admitted upon his return that he had explored the casino before the concert; he found no interesting slot machines but did play a little one-on-one blackjack.  Despite telling the dealer that he was there to lose his 20 dollars, he left with $35 after tipping the dealer $3.  A tour of the ship led him to the Explorations Cafe in the Crow's Nest where he bought iced cappuccinos as a surprise for MA.

After more rest and reading [and writing], it was time for trivia.  We are teaming with Ken and Lois as HAL 9000, our team monicker for more trips than we can remember.  We were supposed to have a 5th member, but Ginger limped out for surgery.  The trivia venue was packed with players.  Luckily, Ken and Lois went early and commandeered a table for us. Under the COVID protocols, teams scored their own papers, but since there are no longer prizes awarded to the winners, there was no incentive to cheat.  And, yes, cheating is common in team trivia.  We answered 12 of 18 correctly for second place to a team which got 14 points.  We were not unhappy.  If Ginger had been there, though....

Tonight was the first of 3 Gala Nights on this leg of the trip.  There will be 3 more on the return.  There was a time when the dress code included casual, semi-formal and formal.  On formal nights, women wore cocktail dresses and the men word tuxedos.  Now, there are smart casual and gala nights, but almost anything is allowed except shorts and jeans.  No one enforces the suggested dress code; it is another indication of the direction HAL and cruising itself are taking.  MA was shimmering in blue and D wore his tuxedo with blue cummerbund and tie.

Our favorite ship of all time is the Prinsendam [or was, since she has been sold off].  The Pdam held only 900 passengers and had quirky cabins.  No doors actually faced the hallway and each cabin had a walk-in closet.  We always booked ocean-view cabins because the interior ones were only 129 square feet, so small that the beds could not he placed side-by-side.  On other ships, even on long cruises, we had interior cabins.

Why bring this up?  Because we splurged, on HAL's credit from the canceled 2020 trip, and booked a balcony cabin at the rear of the Zuiderdam.  We can sit and read or just stare at the wake without any noticeable wind compared to those with verandahs on the sides of the ships [or on the open deck].  Even MA, who is height averse, is enjoying it.  

The view from the verandah

On the other hand, there are aspects of this cabin which annoy us.  The most significant problem is that there is no make-up mirror at the vanity; it is the first HAL ship we have sailed [out of 12?] which does not have a lighted magnifying mirror.  There is no longer hand soap, just dispensers for liquid soap at the sink and in the tub/shower. [It's also the first time in 20 years that we have had a bathtub, a mixed blessing]. And can we talk about storage?  There are the three standard closets which sit in perpetual shadow when their doors are open; we use the flashlight app on D's phone to see inside.  There are no drawers or other really usable space; the storage area by the desk is taken up with a hair dryer and extra glasses and the vanity has no center [or any other] drawer for make-up.

The good news is that there are USB ports by the beds as well as at the vanity.  Combined with the power strip, all of our electronic needs are taken care of.  What did we bring that needs so much power?  The laptop, 2 tablets, a cell phone, a night light, MA's hearing aid charger, a camera and a bluetooth speaker.  An army may travel on its stomach but we now travel on our electronics [Our grandchildren would be proud of us].

By our standards, the Covid-dam is huge.  Living at one end of the ship makes every place far away.  While we on Deck 7 are directly above the MDR [Decks 2/3] and below the Lido [Deck 9] at the stern, the showroom and other venues like the casino and trivia, are at the pointy end of the ship, seemingly a half mile away.  It's no wonder MA's back is torturing her.

Tomorrow -- Another Sea Day

Sunday, January 16, 2022 -- Ft. Lauderdale, FL

And so it begins.  

We left the house in plenty of time this morning.  We were assigned a check-in time of 1:40 but didn't want to take any chances of being late, so we started out at 11:15 for the 65 mile drive to the port and our favorite parking lot.  For a while, we were really glad we had because there was an accident on the Florida Turnpike and we sat motionless for too long.  Eventually, we cleared the accident site and traffic roared past us as if we were parked; we were going 75 mph.

Arrival at Park 'n Go was uneventful and we were soon on our way to the cruise terminal.  There was no wait to enter the building itself once we showed our boarding passes, vaccine cards and PCR test results, and passports.  Of course, that was just the beginning of what we call The Dance of the Passports.  Once inside, we had to show everything again and then had to clear security and the baggage scanners.  We got caught bringing an illicit multi-outlet strip which the X-ray found but D couldn't despite all his searching.  MA suggested looking in another pocket of the rolling carry-on and there it was.  And then it wasn't because it was confiscated. 

We finally got in line to check in.  So much of the procedure has changed with the advent of COVID; the process was almost hands-free.  We were issued computer-generated boarding passes [not to be confused with the ones we printed at home] which had bar codes and looked like receipts from Burger King. When our pictures were taken "for security purposes," we had to remove our masks and align ourselves with the camera.  The process was smooth, but there was still a lot of "stand and wait' before we started the trek to the gangway.  We had yet to receive key cards and MA was concerned but D assured her that the keys would be waiting in the mailbox outside the cabin.  

D dragged the carry-on -- which we received on a previous HAL cruise and call 'the jet ski' -- MA's bag and a bag of library books up the gangway where we were greeted and then let loose to find our way to Deck 7 and our room for the next 4 weeks.  Gone are the days when a cabin steward escorted you and shlepped the hand luggage as well.  

Once in the room, we relaxed a bit and shared a Diet Coke from the mini-bar.  Even though we have a beverage package [more about that later], we were too tired too search for a bar,  Rested and refreshed, D unpacked the assorted carry-ons and stowed stuff knowing that we would fine tune to closets and drawers as we sailed.  We've done this enough, though, that there will be little change.

The muster, or lifeboat, drill has evolved, too.  When we first started sailing, passengers assembled in front of their lifeboats while an officer checked off names and enforced quiet with the charm of a POW commandant.  As things changed, there was more talking in the ranks and less attention paid to the speech which told passengers how to stay alive in an emergency.  Today, we were required to play the safety video in our cabins and them report to a muster station which, in our case, was at the other end of the ship.  The reward for watching the video was having the television unlocked for the duration of the cruise.

On the way back to our cabin, we paused for a libation in the Ocean Bar, our usual pre-dinner hideout.  We relaxed with a Tito's vodka and a Coke Zero and just enjoyed being on a ship again.  By the time we returned to the cabin, our 3 suitcases were waiting for us.  Once again, D unpacked and stowed stuff.  [As the day ran its course, there were a few tense moments when we couldn't find or remember where he'd put things but nothing was lost for too long]

D went to the front desk to inquire about the return of the outlet strip and was told, eventually, that security had it and would return it at the end of the cruise; we could request an approved "extension cord" from our cabin steward.  The steward arrived shortly after we called for him and returned quickly with an outlet strip; stowed the luggage under the bed; and took a bag of laundry.  As frequent sailors, we get free laundry service and take advantage of it.  D jokes about needing only 3 of anything -- one to wear, one in the laundry and one in reserve.  That philosophy makes it easy to pack light.

We skipped the pre-dinner drink since we had had it earlier and went to the main dining room [MDR] for the late [read 8 pm] seating.  We had requested a 4-top, a table for 4 for the 2 of us so we could invite people to join us for dinner later.  The table was by the window but there was nothing to see except reflections from the dining room. 

As the waiter was introducing himself and taking our order, 2 friends from previous cruises appeared like magic to surprise us.  They, too, had requested the 4-top-for-2, and somehow ended up with us.  As things developed, they moved to the 2-top next to us so we could talk if we wanted to or but each couple had more elbow room.  Dinner passed pleasantly and we made plans to meet for Team Trivia tomorrow.

Back in the cabin, we stashed some more things before MA began to read and D wrote up the day's activities.

Tomorrow -- A Day at Sea, Gala Night and a Discussion of the cabin

 Cruising to California

[and back]

It seems that every year [pre-Covid] saw us take "the trip of a lifetime." 

Twenty-six of our thirty-five cruises have been on Holland America Line [HAL] and we have spent over six hundred days on the "dam ships."   We have visited more than 110 countries and walked on all seven continents.

This trip started in 2019.  We had booked a similar cruise for March 2020, a voyage from Ft. Lauderdale, through the Panama Canal, to San Diego and then back to Florida.  In November, 2019, D's kidneys tried to murder him and while he was still in the hospital we decided to cancel the Spring cruise as a precaution; it was a good decision as that cruise was aborted before it returned and the passengers off-loaded in Mexico somewhere.

We took our refund and booked a 2021 cruise around Africa.  Once again, Covid changed the face of cruising and that cruise, too, was canceled.

The third time should be the winner.  Using our combined deposits and a credit from HAL for the cancelation last year, we have booked a verandah cabin in the stern of the ms Zuiderdam so we can watch the ship's wake and see where we have been, sheltered from the wind by the bulk of the ship itself.  This is a tremendous change from our usual inside cabin.  Again, the trip of a lifetime, perhaps the last one.

We may never leave the ship when it is port.  That decision will be based on weather and walking conditions, but just being on a HAL ship is reward enough.  The Zuiderdam is new to us and is the twelfth HAL ship we've taken.

On January 16, we will start our 4-week adventure.  This blog is really a diary designed for our family so they know where we are, what we are doing and whether we are still alive.  Feel free to comment if you feel the urge.

Welcome aboard. 

 

Cruising to California [and Back]

January 16 - February 13, 2022

[HAL's maps aren't what they used to be]