Prologue
June 17, 2024
We began talking about future cruises some time ago, but with our less than stellar experience on our last Regent Cruise, we started looking at other cruise lines. This has led us to our choice of Holland America. Though it is a larger ship, our friends Phil and Janet, who we have sailed with before, love the line so we thought we would give it a try.
A call today to Brenda at Travel Leaders and within 20 minutes she had us booked in our cabin…7053, a Neptune Suite. It was chosen as it is near the Neptune Lounge, where Matt will be able to grab snacks throughout the day. As I will be in the sun daily, I also booked a private 2 person cabana (13′ X 8′) looking out over the ocean (one of 14 in a private upper deck area) for the entire cruise. With 20 sea days on this 35 day cruise, it will be used every day. There is also an area with loungers in the sun. With the cabana, you get:
Luxurious loungers and table, separate seating area, bathrobes & slippers, warm and cold towels, handheld fans, Evian Brumisateur spray, chilled bottled water setup, fruit basket, healthy breakfast and lunch choices, ice cream in the mid-afternoon and chocolate-dipped strawberries, frozen grapes and a glass of sparkling wine in the late afternoon.
June 23, 2024
Holland America lets you book excursions as soon as you have booked the cruise. We have studied all available, removed those that we have done in the past and booked.
Excursions booked:
| February 20 | Maui, Hawaii | Molokini Crater & Turtle Snorkel |
| February 21 | Hilo, Hawaii | Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden |
| February 23 | Kauai, Hawaii | Wailua River Cruise & Fern Grotto |
| February 24 | Kona, Hawaii | Pelagic Wildlife Excursion |
| March 4 | Raiatea, Fr. Polynesia | Raiatea Reef Discovery |
| March 5 | Papeete, Fr. Polynesia | Tahiti’s Natural Treasures |
| March 6 | Papeete, Fr. Polynesia | Ohana Catamaran Escapade |
| March 8 | Moorea, Fr. Polynesia | Motu Beach Picnic & Ray Feeding |
July 19, 2025
The airline booking window has opened, so we have decided to fly Alaska Airlines from Sacramento to San Diego arriving 2 days before the cruise. This will allow us to spend one day visiting the San Diego Zoo, something I know Matt will enjoy. As we now know our flight dates, we also booked our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Bayside.
September 4, 2025
Specialty Dining Reservations opened today and we were able to book 3 complimentary dining venues: Tamarind (Pan-Asian), Pinacle Grill (Steakhouse), Canaletto (Italian) and one other restaurant, Morimoto By Sea (Japanese). We booked each of these early into the cruise and will book more of each onboard if they cater to our taste.
January 31, 2026
Two weeks to boarding day and boarding passes are online and have been printed. Now it is just waiting for our vacation to begin.
February 12 – Pre-Cruise San Diego
We were up at 5:30 AM to finish packing and getting ready for our ride to the Sacramento Airport. Eric from Vintage Limousine arrived at 7:15 and we were at the airport just after 8:00. Quick check-in at Alaska Airlines then over to the “Escape Lounge” (the only lounge at the airport) to wait for the flight to board and have breakfast.
Our flight boarded at 10:15 and we were off at 10:45 with arrival in San Diego at 12:30.
We Uber’d to our hotel…a quick 10 minute ride…and were pleased to find that our hotel room was ready upon arrival. We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Bayside with a nice view of the bay. We did get a knock at the door and it was a front desk clerk who arrived with a bag of goodies, bottled water and a nice note. She told us that we had been selected as “Guests of the Day”. Nice touch.
Matt napped in the afternoon, while I went down to the pool area to lay out and rest, even though it was very overcast.
We had dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, which was a 15 minute walk from the hotel before returning and calling it a night.
February 13 – Pre-Cruise San Diego
What a nice day we had today. It began with arriving at the San Diego Zoo just a few minutes before the 9 AM opening. We were on the 2nd Bus Tour, which takes you around the perimeter of the zoo, taking in the large animals and giving you an overview of where you might want to return to. For those who may go in the future, go to the upper level of the bus and sit the right hand side.
After the 45 minute tour, we began our walk, taking in the right side of the zoo first. It included reptiles, the hummingbird habitat, and the tiger, hippo and ape areas.
By then, it was time for lunch. I had made reservations at the only sit-down restaurant and requested outdoor seating. We got a table right next to the large waterfall at a corner table…great atmosphere. I had chicken piccata and Matt had a steak.
Then it was off to see the rest of the zoo with visits to see the pandas, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, camels, koalas and so much more.
We believe we saw all 100 acres. Even though it is a maze of paths, Matt negotiated all of them in a thought out order (the map helped too).
We finished at 4:00 and went back to the hotel to rest a bit before dinner.
We went to “Mona Lisa Italian Foods” restaurant, which was about 4 blocks from the hotel. This was a nice local restaurant with large portions at a very reasonable price. Matt had a dinner salad, chicken parmigiana and tiramisu, while I had minestrone soup with a caesar salad.
A stop was made on the walk back to the hotel at the 7-11 to get a bottle of water and a bottle of orange juice for tomorrow morning, before watching some TV and calling a night.
February 14 – Embark/Departure
We got to sleep in a bit this morning before re-packing and heading to the ship at 11:00. We only had a minute to say “hi” through the security fence to our friend Janet, who disembarked this morning.
Because we have a Neptune Suite, the process to get onboard went VERY quickly. Rooms were not ready, so we had lunch at the Lido Buffet. By 11:50, rooms were ready, so we dropped off our bags and took care of a few things before a quick visit to our cabana to check it out and meet one of the crew members there.
Things were slow to arrive to the room. In fact, Matt did not receive his luggage until 4:30.
I tried to surprise him with a floral arrangement for Valentine’s Day, but it arrived without a card (that I had requested), so I had to explain that I got it for him and what the card was supposed to say.
Unbeknownst to me, he had packed a box of my favorite See’s candy to surprise me.
Our Early Dinner seating time is 5:00, so it was a bit of a rush getting there.
We had a nice dinner. Not as much food served as Regent, but I think it is the right amount so we don’t get stuffed every meal.
Matt unpacked after dinner and then we went to the casino where we came out a bit ahead for the evening.
Back to the room where we had swan towel animals on the bed for Valentine’s Day.
Matt got all of our clothes ready to send to the laundry tomorrow morning. After the flight on Thursday, 2 days of hotel and today on the ship, most everything either needs to be washed or just pressed.
By the time that was done, it was time to call it a night.
February 15 – Sea Day
Awoke at 7:30 and had breakfast at the Lido Buffet before taking care of a few issues which our Neptune Lounge concierge took care of.
The Captain has told us that we are 381 nautical miles off the coast of California with just about 1900 more to go to Hawaii. It is 61 degrees with a gusty winds and 3 foot waves. He thinks the weather will be the same tomorrow, but we may have rougher seas with 9 foot waves. Time to wear the “Sea Bands”.
We ate lunch in the main dining room and while Matt played Bingo in the afternoon, I went to the cabana and sat inside (too cold to go out of the cabana) and chatted with the cabana stewards. I was the only one up there, so we could talk without them worrying about other passengers.
Our dinner tonight was in the main dining room. Matt had shrimp jambalaya and I had the chili rellenos. Both main courses were quite good.
After dinner we attended the Captain’s reception and the Production Show “Hits On 45”. The cast did a nice job, and just as a comparison to our Regent Cruises, for a larger ship we were surprised that there were less cast members and no live band. This is the cast’s last cruise and they will be leaving when we get back to San Diego.
After the show we went for our usual night at the casino where Matt did VERY well.
We turn the clocks back one hour tonight, so it’s an extra hour of sleep for us.
February 16 – Sea Day
Awoke again at 7:30 with breakfast at the Lido Buffet. I think it will be a thing. A lot of items to choose from.
We got more things settled in the room before I went to the cabana for a bit of sun. It was still a bit overcast today, windy and seas of 9 feet (which rocked the boat pretty nicely). I pulled my lounger part way out of the cabana and was in the sun as the cabana itself blocked a lot of the wind. We have the nicest cabana stewards, Fahmi (Fah-me) and Chester. They make sure we have whatever we need. I think I’m pretty easy. All I need is a glass of iced tea and I’m happy. They really want to do more. Of course, with all the wind, there were only 8 people total in the Retreat (cabana) area. One group of 4 in one cabana, 2 in another and Matt and I. So…only 3 of the 12 available cabanas in use today.
Matt joined me (he stayed inside the cabana) for awhile before lunchtime.
The Captain gave us his report at noon. The temperature was 61 degrees and that we have traveled 866 nautical miles from San Diego with about 1,400 more to go to Hawaii.
We decided to go back to the buffet, which today, was so-so.
After lunch, our laundry we sent out on Saturday night came back and Matt sorted it all out. He is very good at making sure everything we sent came back.
Next came Bingo time for Matt while I sorted out our “non-refundable” vs. “refundable” shipboard credit with the destinations department. I decided to cross the ship on deck 10 (outside) and got wet from mist, but did see a nice rainbow off the back.
We met back at the room and rested a bit before getting ready for dinner. Matt was not feeling 100%. Not sure if it’s the rocking of the ship, or lunch, so dinner was not the best experience for him.
We did eat at the Tamarind restaurant with Pan-Asian cuisine. Matt had shrimp tempura, some of the Thai beef salad and wasabi & soy crusted beef tenderloin. I had lumpiang shanghi (eggroll) and Mongolian pork chops.
After dinner, Matt went back to the cabin while I spent some time at the casino, coming out even at the Three Card Poker Table.
There was a “Gatsby Party” by the pool tonight, which included something like a murder mystery, but was a jewel thief who-done-it instead. We passed.
Tomorrow is sea day #3.
February 17 – Sea Day
Did the normal wake up at 7:30 and breakfast in the Lido Buffet.
Matt is feeling much better today.
We did a bit of room tidying and then I went up to the cabana with hopes of sun, but that was not to be. I chatted with some of the guests up there, and it quickly became lunch time.
Matt and I met up and went to the Lido Buffet.
After lunch, I went back up to the cabana (still no sun) and listened to some music while Matt watched a movie in the cabin.
At 3:00, I went to the “Lido Fair”, the Holland America version of the Country Fair on Regent. You play carnival type games and receive tickets. They then have drawings for chachkies and gift certificates for dinner in the specialty restaurants. I did not win anything, but it was fun to do…once.
I went back to the room to rest for a bit before our dinner in the main dining room. Dinner was ok…nothing special. They do need to learn that food needs a bit of seasoning. We seem to be adding salt and/or pepper to almost everything served in the buffet and main dining room. The specialty restaurants do a nice job of that.
After dinner, we contributed to the casino fund.
Back to the room where I worked on this page and Matt finished a movie he was watching.
The clocks go back one more hour so we will be on Hawaiian time until we get there.
February 18 – Sea Day
This morning, we decided to have breakfast at the Pinnacle Grill. This is a specialty dining venue that they open up in the morning to those who have Neptune or Pinnacle Suites. This makes it a more intimate and quiet venue, offering the same selection as the main dining room.
After breakfast, we went up to the cabana and were served a fresh fruit plate.
Matt left just as the sun was coming out, so I laid out for about an hour and a half. Nick and Robert, who I met yesterday, are kind of the cheerleaders in the cabana area and are trying to organize a few activities up there.
Matt came back up at 11:00 and at noon, we each ordered a pizza from our cabana staff.
The captain’s report: 72 degrees, 9 foot waves (going to a possible 12 feet tomorrow). We have come 1,622 nautical miles with 642 more to go to Hawaii. He has slowed the speed down to 17 mph as we have passed the bad weather.
The rain started heading our way, so the tanning time was over. We decided to check out the stores on the ship.
Matt went to play Bingo and I spent some time in the casino. We are still coming out ahead in that area.
Dinner this evening was in the main dining room. I had a chicken dinner. It was a bit on the dry side, and Matt had Beef Wellington, which he said had a soggy crust, the mushroom was not great, but the beef was good. So far, we rate the main dining room food somewhere in the 6-7 range.
Dinners here are 3 courses (appetizer, main course and dessert). Although they are not large servings, they are just the right size to fill you without feeling stuffed. We could always go to the buffet and get more food, but so far, that has not been necessary.
It was back to the casino again, where Matt once again did well.
We went back to the cabin early so Matt could watch a movie.
One more sea day before Hawaii.
February 19 – Sea Day
This morning, we were back at the Lido buffet for breakfast, as the Main Dining Room and Pinnacle Grill were hosting a brunch and were not open until 9:30.
After breakfast, we went up to the cabanas and the sun was coming out, so I changed and went up to tan while Matt checked on some things regarding tomorrow’s excursions.
Looking at our Ring cameras at home, we found that the west side of our temporary chain link fence had fallen. We made a call to my brother and nephew and they will put it back up for us. I am very lucky to have a brother and nephew who will do these things.
We also found out that Mama, one of our dogs, escaped the yard of their caretakers. They said that she just kept running and running and they chased her around the neighborhood for an 3 hours before they were able to catch her. Whew!!! We know that everyone would have felt very bad if something had happened to her. I think she just wants to get home one way or another.
Matt came up and joined me in the cabana area and he even laid out in the sun for a half hour. During this time, the ship’s crew decided to grind away at some rust that was right above the cabana area. They only worked for about 10 minutes before they stopped. Either they were told to stop or realized that the paint dust was blowing down into the cabana area. Either way, we were glad they stopped.
We had lunch in the cabana…a “Wall Street” pizza for Matt. It has prosciutto, arugula, white sauce, gorgonzola, and mozzarella…and a “Dive In Dog” described as a Nathan’s hot dog topped with American-style yellow mustard, relish, and piled high with a mound of crispy, frizzled onions in a poppy-seed bun with fries for me.
It got overcast and started to sprinkle, so we headed back down to the cabin.
Matt went to play “Bingo for a Cruise” and was one number away from winning. I stayed in the room and napped for a half hour before going to the casino until Bingo was over.
We both rested before dinner at Canaletto, the Italian specialty restaurant. Matt had veal and sage meatballs & grilled tiger shrimp and I had Veal Scallopini. All dishes were very good.
After dinner, we went back to the casino where Matt, once again, did quite well. Me? Not so much.
We went back to the room at 8:30 to pack up our backpacks for tomorrow’s excursion before watching a bit of TV and calling it a night.
February 20 – Maui, Hawaii
The ship docked in Maui at 8:00 and our excursion began at 8:30. We did not eat breakfast on the ship, as it was provided on the excursion. It is as described:
The Molokini Crater & Turtle Snorkel leads you on an exciting exploration of Molokini reef and the unique marine wildlife that inhabits it. Molokini, Maui’s iconic crescent-shaped islet, is a beautiful reef known for its crystal clear waters, abundant coral, colorful fish, and resting seabirds. A protected marine conservation area, this volcanic crater is only accessible by boat with a certified tour operator. Turtle Arches offers a bonus snorkel site with its underwater lava formations and frequent turtle sightings. Continental breakfast is included, and a delicious BBQ lunch is prepared onboard.
There were about 90 passengers on this excursion and Matt had contacted the tour operator yesterday to find out about the size of the catamaran. They told him it held 150, so would not seem crowded. They were right.
The bus ride to the “catamaran” took a half hour. We took a seat on the upper deck of the catamaran so we could have fresh air and see any whales, which we did. There were several and some just seemed to be splashing their fins and having fun.
We arrived at the first snorkeling location (to see fish and coral) at about 9:00 and had 45 minutes in the water. This was a nice snorkel area in the volcano islet.
We then headed to Turtle Arches, about 45 minutes from our first stop. Upon arrival, the captain decided that currents were not right and that we would go to another area, another 45 minutes away.
When we arrived, it was getting cloudy and only about half of the passengers got back in the water to see the turtles. Matt was one of them, as I stayed aboard. I saw him go out for several minutes and return. There were no turtles to be seen.
They served lunch while we were at this stop, which included grilled chicken sandwich, hot dog or veggie burger along with 2 salads, one being a mix of macaroni and potato. I had never had the combination and it was pretty good. Dessert was a Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookie.
We left that area and it was just a quick ride back to the pier.
Our busses were not there yet, so we had to wait about 20 minutes for them to arrive and take us back to the ship. We arrived back at 3:00.
We went back to our cabin and downloaded our photos to the computers, then got ready for dinner.
We did not feel like getting all dressed up for dinner (or Matt doing his hair), so we just ate at the Lido buffet. They pretty much serve the same things that are in the dining room, but is a quicker meal. Matt got a pizza from the “New York Pizza” station by the pool and brought it back to the dining table. I had teriyaki chicken and pork katsu.
Back to the room where Matt watched a movie and I worked on these pages.
The ship left the port a bit late due to the wind pushing the ship against the dock, so we departed close to 7:00 instead of 6:00.
February 21 – Maui, Hawaii
One week of the cruise down…four to go.
We were able to take our time getting up and having breakfast this morning, so we ate at the Pinnacle Grill.
Our excursion today was “Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden”:
Explore the magnificent Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, located north of Hilo on the Hamakua Coast.
You will have 1½ – 2 hours to stroll on your own through a slice of tropical rain forest, complete with orchids, heliconias, ginger, waterfalls, a fern garden, exotic birds and ocean shoreline.
More than 2,000 different species of plants are all labeled, including a very large display of orchids.
En route back to the ship, relax on a guided panoramic mini-tour of Hilo’s Old Town.
We met in the theater at 9:10 and were off at the posted 9:30 time. There were only 11 of us on this excursion. The garden did not open until 10:00, so on the way there, our van driver, Mike, who has lived here 53 years, gave us a quick tour of the downtown area.
We arrived at the garden at 10:00 and had an hour and a half to walk the garden, which was just the right amount of time to take in the entire place.
There were so many plants and flowers to see, and the garden even ran along the ocean. Matt was very busy taking all kinds of photos. Only are few are posted on the photos page. Most of the plants there were non-native and there were signs stating what each plant was and were it was native to.
A bit of history of the garden: The founder, Dan Lutkenhouse Sr. discovered the Onomea Valley while on a vacation to the Big Island of Hawai’i in 1977. Lutkenhouse was in the process of selling his long-established trucking business in California and retiring. He and his wife agreed that this is where they would like to spend the rest of their lives. They purchased the 17-acre parcel for its seclusion and beauty and once Dan began exploring the land, he decided to establish a botanical garden in order to preserve the valley and its beauty forever. Onomea Valley was once an overgrown and virtually impenetrable jungle, choked with invasive species, weed and thorn thickets.
Every day, seven days a week, until the Garden opened in 1984, Dan, his assistant Terry Takiue worked with cane knives, sickles, picks, shovels and a chainsaw to clear paths through the jungle.
We went back to the ship via anther tour of the area and a drop-off (for those who wanted) at the local farmer’s market.
Back aboard the ship, I went to the “Dive In” to get a hot dog and fries and took them up to our cabana. Matt went to “New York Pizza” to get one and brought it up too, so we could have lunch together.
As we were eating, it began to rain, so we were lucky to have just cloudy weather at the garden.
I stayed in the cabana on the lounge chair listening to an audio book on the life of game show host Bill Cullen until 3:00, while Matt went to the cabin to watch a movie. By the time I left the cabana, it had stopped raining.
As we were getting ready for dinner, the Captain announced that due to strong winds and high surf, it has been decided to skip the port of Nawiliwili, Kaui on Tuesday. Instead, we will stay an extra day in Honolulu. This also happened on the cruise through this area right before ours.
We had dinner in the main dining room with both of us having French Onion soup and Fettuccini with short rib Bolognese. During dinner, we left port just as it started to rain hard.
Back at our room, Matt worked on all of our ship accounting so far (it’s complicated how they post things), and I worked on this blog.
February 22 – Honolulu, Hawaii – Day 1
No hurry to get up as we are docked here in Honolulu for 2 days and have no excursions planned. We have done most of the excursions offered during past cruises.
We had breakfast at the Pinnacle Grill and then decided to walk around town, as we had some things to pick up.
We first went to the Aloha Tower, 15 minute walk away from the pier, to pick up a few items that we had ordered from the Amazon lockers. We continued another 10 minutes into town to do a bit of shopping, then another 5 minutes to Chinatown.
Being a Sunday, most stores were closed, but markets were open. We heard drums beating and just caught the last 30 seconds of a Chinese New Year Dragon performance. Just not quick enough to get a photo.
We came across the Manakea Marketplace and went inside. Several stalls were set up and I found two Hawaiian short sleeve shirts that I liked. They were VERY resonable.
We continued to walk around Chinatown for a bit before making our way back to the ship. We passed the statue of King Kamehameha, first ruler of Hawaii. We have passed it several times on past bus tours, but always hard to get a good picture of it. Across the street was the Iolani Palace, the former royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Next, we came across a church and beside it was the Lunalilo Ka Moi Mausoleum. It is the final resting place of Hawaii’s sixth monarch King Lunalilo and his father Charles Kana’ina.
We got back to the ship at noon. Upon entering our room, we found a lei for each of us. Every passenger received one. Not sure if it was a “sorry we’re stuck here” gift or what. We each got lunch and took it to the cabana. Sometime between the time we boarded the ship and got up to the cabana, it had rained and stopped. We were very lucky to miss it while we were out and about.
We ate lunch and Matt went back to the room to catch up on some of his favorite TV shows we have recorded at home. With the fast internet we can get on our devices via T-Mobile here in Honolulu, he can watch the shows on his laptop. I stayed up in the cabana area and laid out in the sun (yes, it came out quickly after the brief rain) and got in a few hours of tanning time.
We had dinner at the Pinnacle Grill, which for lunch and dinner becomes a Steakhouse. We both had filet mignon. One of the items offered was “Clothesline Candied Bacon”. Had to try it. Was good.
After dinner, Matt watched another TV episode, while I worked on this. That was enough for today.
February 23 – Honolulu, Hawaii – Day 2
Again, no hurry to get up. We had breakfast in the Lido Buffet for a change and then we went up to the cabana to find it a disaster. Furniture moved around, workers equipment on chairs and an ugly sheet hanging at the back blocking the view (see photo page). We could also see workers on the other side of the sheet doing something.
Matt was not pleased and went to our concierge to complain. I went out to a lounge chair in the sun and laid out.
I could tell when Matt talked to the concierge downstairs, because all of a sudden there were officers and others looking at the 2 cabanas that were blocked. It took until 11:15 for everything to be cleared and set.
Matt had since gone to the Aloha Tower to pick up the Amazon package that was delayed in delivery. He also toured the area a bit before returning for lunch.
In the meantime, one of the cabana stewards apologized for the mess. He had been calling his boss to try to get the workers to clear the area. I told him it was not his fault. At the 11:15 point, his boss, an officer, came up to me to also apologize. I told him “thank you” and said that Matt was not happy and had left the ship. We’ll see if they do anything to compensate us a bit, as we pay for the use of the cabana daily and for half the day, it was unusable.
Matt and I had hamburgers and fries for lunch in the cabana. Matt went back to the room and I continued to lay out. He re-joined me at 2:00 and he got in an hour of sun time too.
Back to the cabin until dinner, which we had in the main dining room.
The ship left port just as we arrived for dinner.
After dinner, we went up to “High Score”, an arcade, where we played skee-ball and pinball (they have 2 pinball machines). All games are free.
We followed that with a lychee martini (quite good) at the Tamarand Bar and watched the sunset.
Back to the cabin for a movie and bedtime. Early excursion in the morning.
February 24 – Kona, Hawaii
Up at 6:00 to have breakfast via room service and to get ready for our excursion. The ship anchored offshore just as we were getting ready to leave the cabin.
Our excursion today is called “Pelagic Wildlife Excursion”:
Enjoy a wildlife-watching tour with an experienced naturalist captain and crew who will share their passion and respect for the ocean and its inhabitants with you. Kona is one of the few coastlines in the world with numerous species of wildlife year-round. Climb aboard a military-grade, 24-foot Zodiac Hurricane to explore the diverse habitat provided by Hawaii’s deep underwater geography — an ocean safari for the true adventure-seeker. Keep an eye out for 17 resident whale and dolphin species, turtles, sharks, Hawaiian monk seals and other species.
It came with this warning: Ride will be bumpy. Pregnant women, guests with back or neck problems or recent surgeries are not allowed to participate. Matt had read that people had thrown up on this excursion. So Bonine was taken before departing the ship.
We went to the theater at 7:30, our group was called at 7:45 and we were on the tender over to shore at 8:15.
As we got off the tender, we could see our “military grade” zodiac arriving. We had a group of 14 people. You ride sidesaddle on the edge of the zodiac facing inward, but turned to one side. There is a rope on the outside of the zodiac to grab hold of, as well as handholds inside and a rope at the bottom of the zodiac to put your foot under if you feel like you might lean back to far.
Our captain had some 35 years of taking people out, so we felt comfortable being with him. The ocean was pretty calm, so no seasickness, but it did get a bit bumpy when he pushed it up to speed.
We first went out and encountered a mother and baby humpback whale. We stayed about a football field away from them. There were several boats following them. Some were getting pretty close and our captain was a bit upset with them. He is a conservationist and tries to keep a distance to keep the whales calm.
After watching them for about 30 minutes, we made our way around the coastline to see rock formations. Along the way, we met up with spinner dolphins having a good time near the shore. Then it was back out into the open waters and we found a large pod of pilot whales, who got pretty close to our zodiac. It was then time to get back to the ship. It was good timing as our butts were getting pretty sore sitting on the edge of the zodiac.
We arrived back on land right at noon. I took the tender back to the ship and Matt stayed ashore to walk to Walmart to get some supplies he needed.
I had lunch and went up to the cabana for some tanning time. Matt got back to the ship and brought his hamburger and fries up to the cabana too.
I stayed in the cabana for a bit while Matt went back to the cabin to check the returned laundry (we send out our laundry each day and it usually comes back the following day).
I returned and downloaded all of our photos to the computer and Matt did his Facebook posting while I deleted a lot of photos of just water. You had to be quick with the camera to get a shot of the dolphins or whales.
By the time we did that, it was time to get ready for dinner. We went to the main dining room. We followed that with time in the casino, as it had been closed the past several days while either in port, or in Hawaiian waters. The casino was packed. I guess everyone missed being there.
Matt went back to the cabin to watch a movie, while I stayed in the casino an extra 20 minutes or so.
We then called it a night as it was a long day.
February 25 – Sea Day
We are falling into a “Sea Day” pattern.
We got up and had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill. Matt then did some work in the cabin and I went up to the cabana area to lay out in the sun.
We met up for lunch in the Lido Buffet, then Matt went back to the cabin while I went back to the cabana area.
We had some time to relax in our cabin until dinner, which tonight was at “Morimoto At Sea”. It was an ok meal, but not as good as we thought. We are not sure if we will be going back to any of the specialty (pay extra for) restaurants on this cruise. We may go back for lunch, which costs less, at Pinnacle Grill.
After dinner, we did our normal casino time, where I did well and Matt not so much. He went back to the cabin to watch a movie while I played slots a bit longer.
Tonight we cross the International Dateline, so we do not have a Thursday. We move directly to Friday. We will gain the day back and have two March 1sts on our return from the South Pacific.
February 26 – Crossed the International Date Line
(day does not exist for us)
February 27 – Sea Day
Yep, anther sea day with breakfast at Pinnacle Grill and tanning time for me up at the Retreat.
Matt came up and we had lunch together in the cabana.
The Captain told us that the temperature outside is 80 degrees (with the humidity starting to be felt). Seas are fairly calm and we have come 660 nautical miles from Hawaii and have 304 to get to the Fanning Island. He did mention that the winds tomorrow will be in the 20 mph range. We think he is setting us up for a cancellation of the Island tomorrow. The Fanning Islands have been on our itinerary several times and we have never been able to get ashore. Want to take a bet?
Matt did his Bingo thing and I did a bit of casino time.
Dinner was in the Main Dining Room with Prime Rib as the featured main course. It was ok. Again, not spectacular. I did enjoy the cherry pie.
We went to the casino where we had absolutely no luck, so it was back to the cabin to watch a movie.
February 28 – Tabuaeran, Fanning Island, Kiribati
We got up at 6:45 as we were getting close to Fanning Island as the sun came up. The ship anchored at 7:00. We went up to the 10th deck to get photos of the Island from the ship. It was a bit windy as the Captain had told us it would be. We kept watching for a tender to be lowered into the water, but that never happened. We knew we were not going to be able to go ahore.
Sure enough, at 8:00, the captain told us that because of the winds and the swell of the ocean (although it did not look that bad), we would be canceling our visit.
What we did not understand is that it was the same exact conditions that he told us it would be yesterday. Why he even tried, I don’t know. Guess he did not want us mad at him for 2 days instead of 1.
We went to breakfast in the Lido Buffet and then I did the usual going up to the cabana for sun time and to listen to my audiobooks. It was a bit windy up there, but everyone seemed to manage.
Lunch time rolled around and I met up with Matt and we ate at the Lido Buffet.
Afternoon was more time in the cabana for me and movie watching in the cabin for Matt.
Dinner tonight was in the main dining room. Again, an ok dinner, but nothing exciting.
After dinner, it was casino time and we broke even. We followed that with a movie in the cabin before going to bed.
March 1 (first time) – At Sea
Two weeks down, 3 to go.
At 2:00 in the morning, we crossed the Equator.
We got up fairly early for some reason and had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.
We both went up to the cabana for a bit. It was quite windy so Matt went back to the room. I stayed inside the cabana and listened to my audiobook.
10:00 brought the King Neptune Ceremony for those who had not crossed the equator before. It was a lot of the same words that Regent uses, but the ceremony here was more crowded and hard to see what was going on unless you really kept moving around. I only stayed long enough to get a few pictures for the photo page.
Matt came back up to the cabana around 10:30 and we moved the lounge chairs just outside the cabana where it was less windy than out in the middle of the cabana area. We tanned for an hour before going to lunch at the Lido Buffet.
After lunch, we went back to the room and watched a movie. I went to the casino at 2:00 for a bit and did well.
I went back to the cabin and took a quick nap.
We looked at the menu for the main dining room and thought better of it, so we decided not to dress up and just go to the Lido Buffet.
Then it was time for the casino where we both did ok.
Back to the room for another movie and calling it a night.
March 1 (second time around) – At Sea
Here we are…March 1st AGAIN. We crossed the International Dateline last night, so we are back on the same day as California and only 2 hours behind.
I awoke at 6:45 for no good reason. Matt got up at 7:00.
We had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.
At 9:00, we took our Passports to the Neptune Lounge for collection by the ship during our time in the Polynesian Islands. It was nice to have the collection done there, as we did not have to wait in the lines that were forming on each deck for those who do not have suites.
I went up to the cabana area and as soon as I got out in the sun, it started to rain. But in this area, you wait a few minutes and it’s over and the sun is out (see photo page).
I got about an hour of tanning time before meeting up with Matt for lunch.
We went to the Main Dining Room as they were having brunch. I tried the Monte Cristo sandwich, which is a favorite of mine…but they made it a ham and cheese sandwich with french toast as the bread. I was discouraged as it was one thin (and I mean THIN) slice of ham and very little cheese. It was mainly french toast.
I went back up to the cabana, where it started to rain again as soon as I got up there, but it quickly ended and I went back out in the sun until 2:00. Matt watched a movie.
I then went to the casino and gave back some of the winnings I had made before.
We had dinner in the Main Dining Room and I tried the “Lamb Loin En Croute”. I did not have my phone with me to look up what it is. Well, it’s basically a Beef Wellington, but made with lamb. I am not a mushroom fan, so I took the lamb out of it, but it still tasted like mushrooms.
The moral of this story, don’t order something you know nothing about. (I did not starve.)
We spent some time in the casino, looked over upcoming excursions and have decided to cancel one, which is just a bus tour of Papeette. We then watched TV and called it a night.
March 2 – At Sea
Another sea day. We are both looking forward to being on land tomorrow.
Breakfast was in the Pinnacle Grill before my normal tanning/getting out of the rain/tanning time.
Lunch was at the Lido Buffet, with not much offered that either of us were interested in, so for me it was a bit of pasta and ice cream.
Back to tanning until 2:00 when I joined Matt for Bingo. Today was the first of the $1,900 “must giveaway” days. Lots of players and we did not win any of the 4 games.
We went back to the room, looked at the dining room menu and decided that we did not like anything on the menu. It was more Indonesian than anything else.
We decided to book dinner in the Pinnacle Grill (steakhouse at night) instead. It was a nice filling meal.
We played in the casino for awhile and I hit an $800 jackpot on a slot machine.
We went back to the room where Matt finished watching the movie he started last night. He has hopes of either staying up or setting the alarm and waking up to see the lunar eclipse, which happens around 1:00 AM ship time.
March 3 – Raiatea, French Polynesia – Day 1
The day started REAL early for Matt. He set his alarm for 1:00 AM so he could watch the lunar eclipse. He went out the the back pool area where there was a get-together for an “eclipse party”. He got some photos and came back to the room to sleep.
Today marks the halfway point of our cruise.
We anchored off the coast of Uturoa, Raiatea at 7:00 AM. From our room, we watched the Regent Navigator (which we have been on in the past) pass by us. It’s looking really old and tired. We found out later in the day that it has just been announced that Norwegian Cruise Lines, which also owns Regent, is leasing it out for 9 years and it will, in 2028, become a residence (buy a cabin and live on it) ship. We also learned that it was supposed to dock here today, but due to some maintenance issues, it is anchored way out. Our tender time to shore is about 10 minutes. The passengers on the Navigator have a 45 minute tender ride. Not fun in the heat and humidity.
We had a nice breakfast at the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant and got ready to go ashore shortly after 9:00.
Once on land, we went to see what flowers were available at the market. Matt wants to get an arrangement for the room. There were only a few available and Matt did not like the choices. It was humid and hot’ish, so we did not want to stay a long time.
We walked “the city” (2 blocks) and decided to come back to the ship. It was 10:30.
I went to the cabana and laid out in the hot sun.
We met up for lunch at noon. I went back up to the cabana area and Matt decided to go back ashore to check on the flower situation.
Shortly after he was on land, we got an announcement from the Captain that a short lasting squall was coming and that tendering would be halted until it passed. This meant that Matt was stuck on the island for the storm. He was inside the market, so he was able to keep dry. About 20 minutes later, the sky cleared and everything went back to normal.
Still no flowers available at the market, so Matt came back. He will try again in the morning before our afternoon excursion.
We hung out in the room until dinner time. Neither of us felt like dressing up, so we went to the buffet.
After dinner, we went up to “High Score” and played pinball and skee ball. As the sun was setting, we went up to the Tamarind Bar, which has a nice seating area that looks out over the ocean, and had a Lychee Martini.
One more round of pinball followed before going back to our cabin for a movie.
March 4 – Raiatea, French Polynesia – Day 2
We got up at 7:00 and had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant (which I have added a photo of in the Photo Section).
At 9:00, Matt tendered back ashore in hunt of the allusive flower arrangements while I went up to the cabana area.
He sent me text updates about how they were making the arrangements, but not putting them out for sale. He stayed over there until 11:00 and they never put them out. They made several for the Paul Gauguin ship and shoo’d everyone else away. He was disappointed, but we are confident that we will find them tomorrow in Papeete.
He was back onboard in time for us to go on today’s excursion, “Raiatea Reef Discovery”:
Board a covered motorized catamaran for a lagoon cruise to the north-west of Raiatea to discover the magical lagoon that is shared with sister island, Tahaa.
Explore subaquatic fauna and flora with our naturalists guides in pristine waters from our easy staircase extension into the turquoise waters.
We headed out to the island and began a short snorkel surrounded by reef sharks. They swam amongst us. Most on the excursion were not bothered by them, but I was not too sure of them and when they got close to me, I automatically folded up my legs, not wanting my legs to be hanging out there. We also kept hearing loud thunder, as there was a 40% chance of rain and thunder in the afternoon.
It was not long before our guides blew on the conch shell to call us in so we could head to another island where we could “drift snorkel”.
As we were heading over, it began to downpour, just like yesterday. At least our catamaran had a cover over it, so we all were under cover, but the rain still blew in a bit.
Once we arrived at the 2nd island, the rain had slowed and off the catamaran we went. The area was mostly waist high, so snorkeling was easy and you drifted with the slow current.
Soon it was back aboard the catamaran and we (very slowly) headed back to the pier, timed to arrive at 4:00.
We boarded our ship’s last tender and sat for about 15 minutes as they tried to herd everyone left on the island.
We got back to the ship, showered and had dinner at the buffet, as we did not feel like dressing up and rushing to our designated dinner time.
After dinner it was casino time and then movie time back in the cabin.
March 5 – Papeete, French Polynesia – Day 1
We were awakened at 5:30 by the Captain telling us that there is a fire in the engine room. Not a good sign. A bit later, updated to one engine on fire and containment doors have isolated that engine. A bit later, crew firefighters called to area. We were then told that the fire was out and we were in no danger and updates would follow. We would be using the good engines to navigate.
Next he stated that we would not be going to port until Papeete Firefighters could be flown in by helicopter to do their own inspection. While this is being done, we were not allowed to go up to any outside deck and toldnnot to go out onto balconies. Also, no flash photography if you see the helicopter.
We went to breakfast, knowing we were going nowhere fast.
On the television, we have a navigational channel and we could see that we were going in circles.
At about 11:00, the Captain said that we had been cleared to go into port.
Lunchtime rolled around and they finally announced new excursion times (for those who had excursions booked. We did not have one today.)
At 12:30, the ship was cleared and we were able to go out on our mission: get a flower arrangement from the marketplace.
As we started to cross the street out of the port, we noticed that businesses were closed. We figured for lunch, but later found out that today is Missionary Day, celebrating the arrival of missionaries in 1797. It is a holiday here, and everything is closed.
That meant the marketplace was also closed, but I remembered that there used to be a few flower stands around the side of the building…and there they were!
Matt looked at all the arrangements and found 2 that he liked. We bought those and headed back to the ship. It was a 30 minute adventure and Matt was happy!
We were told that the marketplace will be open at 5:00 AM tomorrow morning and open all day. After our morning excursion tomorrow, Matt and I may wander back over there to look at other items for sale.
Once back on the ship, Matt worked with the arrangements and their room placement while I went up to the cabana area and laid out.
I came back down at 2:30 and took a short nap.
Dinner was in the Main Dining Room, with Matt getting the tri-tip and I having the Veal Cordon Bleu. His was good, mine was dry.
After dinner, we played a few rounds of pinball, checked out the “Spirit of Tahiti” show at the World Stage (a local group brought onboard to perform).
We grabbed some snacks from the Lounge and watched a movie in our cabin.
March 6 – Papeete, French Polynesia – Day 2
CRAZY DAY!!!
We woke up at 6:45 to get ready for our catamaran excursion. Got orange juice and breakfast bars from our Neptune Lounge and then went down to the theater to get our group number. As we got to the theater, we kept hearing “canceled”. We found out that “Due to weather conditions” all of the morning AND afternoon water excursions have been canceled for the day.
We did have a quick light rain shower for about 20 minutes in the morning and it was clear all afternoon. We don’t quite get why things were canceled, but I guess they know best and we trust them…but BIG disappointment.
Back to the room to change into street clothes and walk over to the Marketplace to get another flower arrangement for the cabin. We found 2 that we liked, but got one.
Came back to the ship. Matt was re-arranging the arrangement and asked if we could go back and get the other. Of course we can…and did. We now have 4 arrangements in the room that should last through the cruise. The room looks lovely.
We had lunch in the Lido Buffet and, after, I went up to the cabana area for an hour while Matt did his re-arrangement of the 2nd purchase.
Matt took a long bath while I rested in the cabin until dinnertime.
As we were getting ready for dinner, the captain told us that “Due to weather conditions”, we were not going over to Moorea and anchoring, but instead staying in port here in Papeete for another 2 days. Excursions will still take place, as they will send us over on the local ferry. We can see Moorea from the ship. It is fairly close.
We did not have any excursions tomorrow, but kept checking the ship’s app that shows all the excursions offered each day, and if there are openings. We knew there were going to be some cancellations.
We looked at the dinner menu from the Main Dining Room and did not like any of the offerings, so decided to go to the Lido Buffet instead.
During dinner, we noticed that the excursion we were going to do today had openings for tomorrow morning. We booked it immediately. That excursion will leave from here and we won’t have to take the ferry. We will do the ferry thing for our excursion on Sunday.
After dinner, we played a few rounds of pinball, then went to the Tamarind Lounge for a drink.
Came back to the room to find a note from the Captain stating “be assured that the ship remains safe and secure as we continue to complete repairs and inspections following yesterday’s fire”. So WHICH IS IT? Repairs or weather that is keeping us here?
They are giving us a bit of “non-refundable” shipboard credit (which has to be used for shipboard services, shopping or excursions..not casino..and not given in cash), and a small “future cruise’ credit, should we come back to Holland America again.
Matt saw that the excursion we booked for tomorrow morning had afternoon openings, so he went over to our Lounge Concierge to switch them.
He came back and found out that they have just canceled all of tomorrow’s water excursions, so that is now off. We’ll see what happens with Sunday’s excursion. So far, it’s still on.
March 7 – Papeete, French Polynesia – Day 3
3 weeks down….2 to go.
We woke up at 7:00, not knowing if our excursion was still off or back on.
We visited our concierge, who told us it was on, but there were letters distributed that stated it was cancelled. On further inspection by everyone, it was figured out that today’s excursion titled “Ohana Catamaran Escapade” leaving from Moorea was cancelled, but “Ohana Catamaran Escapade” leaving from Papeete was still on. In fact, ALL water excursions from both locations had been cancelled, except ours.
All other excursions (bus types) were now at least 2 hours longer as everyone has to take a ferry over to Moorea to get started…and the ferries are running on a weekend schedule, so there are less.
Mass confusion all around. Anyway, before we left on ours today, I cancelled tomorrow’s excursion as it went from 5 hours to 8. Matt will still be going.
We found out that with all the chaos, only 12 people were going on today’s snorkel tour on a large catamaran that holds more than double that amount, so it was like a private tour. Here is the description:
Set sail on the Ohana- a maxi-catamaran and head down the west coast of Tahiti. The Ohana is the largest and fastest catamaran of its class in Tahitian waters, and offers plenty of shaded seating under the canopy. Sun seekers can relax on the two large nets located in the bow. Feel the sea spray on your face as the boat slices along the barrier reef. Watch for spinner dolphins, frequently seen in thearea. On the south shore of Taapuna Passage keep an eye out for local and international surfers hanging ten and catching waves. Drop anchor in clear waters inside the lagoon, where you will have plenty of time to enjoy a swim and snorkel. Gear is provided. Access to the water is made by a large, easy step ladder. Towel off and settle in on the catamaran deck and nets. Kick back, unwind and enjoy a refreshment as you sail through turquoise waters on the way home.
It took about an hour to get to our snorkeling spot, passing by canoers and surfers. We had plenty of time in the water, although there were not a lot of fish here. The ride back was only about 15 minutes. I enjoyed that time laying out on one of the nets at the front of the catamaran.
When we got back onboard the ship, we noticed that the accounting that the ship was doing was a bit screwy and we had a ton of credit coming. We knew that was wrong. A few hours later, things were corrected.
I went up to the cabana and mostly stayed inside as it was very hot out on the lounger. Strong sun!
Matt watched a movie and then we got ready for dinner. The Captain told us that the engine that caught fire was now operational and certified today, so we will be able to continue on tomorrow night. Now most everyone believe that using the weather as an excuse was not quite true. All we want is the truth.
It was off to the Main Dining Room, then a few rounds of skee-ball and back to the cabin where Matt did bookkeeping to make sure everything was correct and then we finished watching the movie we started.
March 8 – Papeete, French Polynesia – Day 4
For whatever reason, my phone (although settings are turned off) did a time change last night and my alarm went off at 6:00 instead of 7:00. Anyway, we are now 3 hours behind California time. So…it was everyone up!!
Matt’s excursion today is called “Motu Beach Picnic & Ray Feeding”:
Your experience begins when you board a comfortable, covered, motorized boat. You will have the pleasure of admiring the island from the lagoon just as the first explorers did in the 18th century. The old crater of the volcano provides a view to unique and magnificent scenery-sharp peaks and high mountains, green valleys, pineapple plantations and lush forests.
As you ride across the turquoise waters of Moorea, the captain will tell you all about the island’s legends. You will then arrive at one of the gorgeous, white sandy islets surrounded by crystal clear water, shallow enough to walk right off the boat onto the beach. Swim or snorkel around the turquoise lagoon or simply relax on the beach or in the shade while the local crew prepares lunch. One ofthe highlights will be when the local guides attract schools of sting rays from the lagoon.
You are welcome to join in and play with these gentle sea creatures. In exchange for a piece of fish they will gracefully dance around you. A delicious buffet-style lunch is served, with soft island music in the background.
After lunch you will be entertained with more music and a coconut husking demonstration.
Transfer by motorized catamaran back to the ship.
Because this excursion itself began in Moorea, they had to get over to Moorea first. To do this, a ride on the island ferry was required.
Matt’s excursion started by meeting in the theater at 7:45. As a group, they got on a bus for a 10 minute ride to the ferry terminal to catch the 9:15 ferry to Moorea. As soon as he left, I noticed a turtle in the water right below our balcony, so I got a shot of it with the camera.
Matt reported that the ferry took 45 minutes to get to the island, then it was another 45 minute bus ride to the start of the excursion. He boarded a small boat and it was another 45 minutes to get to the islet.
The time on the islet (including the lunch was about 2 hours instead of the 3 or more described.)
They rushed the tour to see the a group of turtles, but the group was not allowed in the water, just look at them. Matt was in the middle of the boat, so really couldn’t see them or get a photo of them.
Then it was back to land, bus, ferry, bus, ship.
He arrived back in the room shortly after 5:00, making it a 9 hour excursion. We did learn that yesterday’s excursion to the same place did not get back to the ship until 6:30 as they had just missed one ferry and had to wait the extra hour and a half for the next one to arrive.
While all this was going on, shortly after Matt left I went up to the cabana area and laid out in the sun for about 20 minutes and felt I was getting overheated. I went 2 decks down to the pool to cool off. The water temperature in the pool (a fresh water pool), was about the same as the outside temperature, but it did cool me down.
I went back up and stayed inside the cabana until noon and then went to the Lido Buffet for lunch. They were serving sliced turkey with cranberry sauce, so I was happy.
I went back to the cabana for another hour, then down to our cabin to rest there.
At 6:00, we went to a cocktail reception in for Pinnacle and Neptune guests, held in the Crow’s Nest, hosted by Captain Bas van Dreumel and Hotel General Manager Jessica Schumann and the Nieuw Amsterdam Officers. It was an informal reception with the officers greeting us (but not shaking hands) at the door, then it was find a seat and chat with other passengers with cocktails and a few hors d’oeuvres being served.
We left at 7:15 to go to dinner in the Lido Buffet as there was nothing we wanted from the Main Dining Room…again.
Back to our cabin to watch a movie before our ship FINALLY left the pier.
March 9 – Sea Day
We awoke at our normal time and had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.
Per usual, I went up to the cabana area and Matt tried to do some computer work, but our internet is slow in the cabin. He talked to our concierge about it and a tech team was sent out to look at the router that is located just outside our cabin. It has been determined that it is malfunctioning and that they will try to have it fixed in the next few days.
He joined me up in the cabana area where the internet is faster and worked on his computer from there.
The Captain gave his daily report and told us it was 88 degrees with winds at 25 knots. The UV index was a 10 (very high), even with the light cloud cover. Yesterday, the sun was very intense. At least we are moving and it is creating a nice breeze, so it does not feel as hot.
Lunch was in the Lido Buffet, then we went back to the room for an hour, then down to the casino to play slots for awhile.
Back to the cabin to watch a movie until dinner time.
At dinner, in the Main Dining Room, Matt had fish and chips and I tried the veal medallions, but they just weren’t good. Neither was the lentil soup. Our chef really needs to find the seasoning cabinet.
As we were finishing dinner, the skies outside started to darken and we were right in the middle of a thunder storm. We went out on the promenade deck and took some photos of the lightning. Then the skies started to clear and we had the most beautiful clouds and filtered sun. More photos.
We then went back to the casino and spent quite some time there. We did pretty well and had fun.
It was “masquerade night” on the ship, but we did not participate.
We got back to the room at about 11:00 and called it a night.
March 10 – Fakarava – French Polynesia
We awoke at 7:00, just as we were coming into the atoll.
Had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, then back to the room to get ready to take the tender ashore.
We arrived around 10:00, and as we have been here many times before, we knew to just head down the road past the point that most of the passengers stop and get in the water.
We found our little cove that we had been to and got in the water to do a bit of snorkeling.
Afterward, we walked down an unpaved road, through a small grove of coconut trees to the ocean side of the atoll (where no one is). We checked out the tide pools, then, as it was getting very warm, walked back down the main road and caught the tender back to the ship.
We got back just in time for lunch at the buffet.
After lunch, I went up and took a nap in our cabana while Matt edited his pictures for his Facebook page.
Dinner tonight was in the main dining room. Matt had the tempura “shrimps” as they call it, and I had the lamb chops. Both meals were very good…and seasoned!!
After dinner, we went to the casino, where Matt did VERY well at the 3 card poker table.
The casino hostess, last night, told Matt that based on his casino play, he had earned lunch for both of us at the Pinnacle Grill (when it is a steakhouse). Tonight, she found me (she said I move around to too many slots and she has a hard time finding me) and she told me that based on my play, I had earned us both dinner at the Tamarind (Asian-Pacific Cuisine) Restaurant. We chose our days and times and were given certificates for the meals. We will be doing both next week during our 8 sea days going back to San Diego.
After finishing our casino play, we came back to the room where Matt ordered Pizza while I worked on these pages.
March 11 – Sea Day
Matt got up at 6:00, so EVERYONE got up at 6:00. Breakfast was not until 8:00.
We ate at the Pinnacle Grill. Matt was told that there were no more blueberries onboard. After breakfast, I went up to the cabana, and though it was sunny and hot, there was a nice breeze.
Matt came up and worked on his computer inside the cabana for a bit before we went to lunch at the Lido Buffet.
Back up to the cabana area for me and a movie and nap for Matt.
We had dinner in the Main Dining Room (dressy night). I had a chicken dish and Matt had beef tenderloin with a crab cake. He said it might have been a crab cake, and my chicken dish was very dry. Good thing our waiter suggested to me that he would recommend me adding mashed potatoes with the dish (as it does not come that way). The potatoes were the only redeeming item on the plate.
We then went to the casino and did not have much luck.
Matt finished the movie he fell asleep on this afternoon and I worked on the computer.
March 12 – Nuka Hiva, French Polynesia
We awoke at 7:00 as the ship was getting ready to anchor in Tiaoha’e Bay just offshore of Nuka Hiva.
We had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill as the tenders were being loaded.
It started to rain, so we waited until it stopped at 9:30 to go ashore.
As we have been here many times before, we decided to just walk up the hill to the statues, back down and along the main road for about 20 minutes. The sun came out, humidity and temperature went up. Everyone was feeling the heat.
We turned around and headed back to the tender and was on the ship at 11:00. We both took a quick cold shower and headed to lunch at the Lido Buffet.
After lunch, I went up to the cabana area to lay out (there was a light breeze) and spend time at the back pool, where the water is much cooler than the Lido Pool. Both pools have fresh water, not salt water. Laying out came to an end at 2:00, as it began to rain again.
During my time on the upper deck, Matt was down in the cabin editing photos and watching a movie.
The ship pulled anchor at 5:00 and we are off on the 8 1/2 sea days ride back to San Diego. Only 2,800 nautical miles to go.
Dinner (so-so for both of us), was in the Main Dining Room and then we let the casino quickly take our money.
Back to the room to watch another movie and call it a night.
March 13 – Sea Day
Here we are…first sea day of 8.
Matt got up early and I slept in a bit.
Breakfast in Pinnacle Grill. Matt usually gets eggs benedict and I get cereal, toast and bacon.
It was then time for me to go to cabana area to lay out. Although it’s still a bit humid, there was a nice breeze. Matt stayed in the cabin doing some work.
We met up for lunch at the Lido Buffet. Nothing exciting to eat. They did have meatloaf, but it was a bit weird and no mashed potatoes to go with it, although they have mashed potatoes every other day of the week. It was “Pie and Bread Pudding Day”, so there was a large selection for dessert.
I went back to the cabana area for another hour of sun.
Today was the 2nd mandatory safety drill, so we all had to go down to deck 3 and check in at our muster stations at 1:30.
After that, we both went back to the cabin and watched a movie.
We did not feel like eating dinner, so we went down to the casino early and left early. We also went down to the Lido Buffet to get a quick bite to eat before going to our cabin to watch another movie.
March 14 – Sea Day
I woke up at 6:00, Matt at 7:15 with breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill when it opened at 8:00. Matt had noticed that our Neptune Lounge had blueberries and brought them to breakfast with him. The Pinnacle Grill host noticed, but said nothing.
Per usual, I went up to the cabana and listened to an audiobook while Matt stayed in the cabin.
I went to the Lido Buffet to pick up a bowl of fresh fruit and took it up to the cabana as Matt did not feel like having lunch.
At noon, we moved our clocks forward one hour. I found out (from our friend Janet) that they do this during the day to give the crew the hour “off” during the day instead of making their night of sleep one hour less. We are now 2 hours behind California time.
After my snack, I spent another hour at the cabana before returning to the room and then going down to the casino.
Matt still did not feel like having dinner, so I went to the Main Dining Room by myself. I just had soup, salad and dessert.
We went to the casino after I ate, then Matt went to the Lido Buffet to get a bit of food while I did some paperwork in the room.
Tonight was “Orange Night” (The Dutch wear orange as a national color to honor the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal dynasty stemming from William of Orange, who led the revolt against Spain to establish the Netherlands). The party was held in the Lido Pool area. We only attended a few minutes to grab a few photos.
Back to the room and another movie.
March 15 – Sea Day
I once again woke up at 6, and Matt at 7:15. Breakfast, as usual, in the Pinnacle Grill. They addressed Matt’s issue of “no berries” and said they have some.
I went up to the cabana to lay out and after an 2 hours, I got hot and went to cool down in the back pool. I did notice that they were painting the outside of the main pool dome. It has been in a “sanding and scraping” mode ever since we got onboard.
Matt, of course, spent the morning watching a movie in the room. At least they are adding new movies to the TV every now and then.
Matt checked the compass app on his phone and we have just crossed the equator. Our daily schedule says that we will not be crossing until tomorrow. No special events, so it’s odd that they list the wrong day.
As mentioned earlier, we earned lunch in the Pinnacle Grill (at lunch, a steakhouse) from playing in the casino. We both ordered the filet mignon and Matt added a lobster tail. It took over a half hour between our salad and the main course for things to come out. The Assistant Maitre’d told us that they had problems with the steamer that cooked the lobster. By this time my filet was overly well done and dry, as was Matt’s. We did not complain, we just wanted out of there. If we were not comp’d by the casino, it would not have been worth the price they were charging.
After lunch, I decided not to go back to the cabana, but rested in the room for an hour before going to the casino. One of my favorite machines, “Mo Mummy”, paid off nicely, as did several other slots.
Instead of going to dinner at 5:00 in the Main Dining Room, we went to the 6:00 Production Show, “Curtain Up: A Musical Theater Journey”. It was ok, not spectacular. One of the male singers just tries too hard.
After the show, we went to the Lido Buffet to get a bite to eat, then it was off to the casino to give back today’s winnings.
We both have a tickle in our throat. Matt has had it for several days, I just got it today. We have noticed that a lot of people are coughing on the ship. Something must be going around.
Back to the room for another movie.
March 16 – Sea Day
Another sea day…sort of a “rinse/repeat”.
Pinnacle Grill for Breakfast
Cabana for me, movie for Matt
Lunch in Lido Buffet
The clocks were moved ahead another hour at noon, making us only one hour behind California.
Afternoon cabana for me, movie for Matt
Dinner in Main Dining Room
Casino
Movie
March 17 – Sea Day
Are we there yet?
Another sea day, with 3 more to go.
They should have put a one day stop in Hawaii on the way back. Matt is starting to go stir crazy, as are several passengers.
Breakfast in Pinnacle Grill, tanning time for me, movie time for Matt.
Lunch in Lido Buffet, more tanning, another movie.
We spent some time looking at the lounges at the San Diego Airport in case we need to spend a bit of time before the flight. We’re not sure how much time we will have between getting off the ship, getting to the airport, checking in and going through TSA.
Being today is St. Patrick’s Day, the Main Dining Room tried their best with a corned beef dinner. Not sure how they brined it, but we know vinegar was not used. They also had a potato/cabbage pancake that went with it, plus a slice of potato and a slice of carrot. They did have a horseradish sauce (very mild) on the plate. It was a nice effort.
We then went to the casino where Matt did very nicely on the 3 Card Poker table…me not so much.
Another movie before going to bed.
March 18 – Sea Day
For last 2 days, the sea has been especially calm. You sometimes forget you are on a ship until it jiggles a bit. Don’t get me wrong. I would rather have it this way than banging against the walls while trying to walk. We have really been lucky the whole cruise that way.
Before breakfast at the Pinnacle Grill, we sent out our daily laundry for the last time. Now comes the “what do I keep to wear for the next 3 days and what can I start packing?”.
I then went up to the cabana area. The weather today was a nice 71 degrees with a slight cloud cover and the humidity is all but gone, so it was really a nice morning up there.
Matt, per usual, watched a movie in the cabin.
Lunch was at the Lido Buffet and today they served some of the better Chinese dishes.
Back to the cabana for me until 2:00, then back down to the room.
Dinner tonight was in the Main Dining Room where we both had ribs for the main course. Hit the spot.
We then did our usual casino visit and came out even at the end of the night.
Time for another movie before we called it a night.
March 19 – Sea Day
Up at 7:00 with breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.
The ship’s room stewards have created towel animals that were on display around the pool area. There seemed to be about 100 there.
I went up to the cabana. Very nice day with the highs in the upper 60’s, a slight overcast and very smooth ocean.
Matt watched a movie and prep’d our tip envelopes, which we are giving out today and tonight just in case we don’t see some of the people tomorrow.
A very quick lunch at Lido Buffet, followed by more time in the sun.
Rest time before dinner, which was our second visit to Tamarind. This time as guests of the casino.
We did our normal casino thing, where I did VERY well at the Three Card Poker table.
I went to the room before Matt to do a quick packing of things I will not need in the next 2 days.
It was then time for a movie before going to bed.
March 20 – Sea Day
Last sea day. It’s time to go home. We are missing the girls.
Awoke at 7:00, opened the curtains and found that we were in a fog bank.
We had breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill (for the last time).
I waited awhile before going up to the cabana. It was a bit cold up there, but the sun finally broke through and it was pleasant.
Meanwhile, Matt stayed in the cabin and started his packing.
We met up for lunch which included the “Cake Me Away” event with many cakes to choose from for dessert.
After lunch, I went back up to the cabana for a bit more sun and to say goodbye to all the people I met up there and getting a photo of the Cabana Crew.
Matt got us a seat at the last Bingo day. Although we did not win the final game ($1,900), I did split the second game of the day to win $63.
It was then time for dinner in Main Dining Room and our normal visit to the casino.
I left the casino a bit before Matt to finish packing. He got back at 9:00 and finished his packing.
Busy day tomorrow.
March 21 – San Diego/Disembark/Home
We woke up at 6:00 and got ourselves ready for disembarkation.
The ship docked at 7:00 as promised.
As we are in a Neptune Suite, we are “priority” and are the first ones allowed off (other than those who got off the ship rolling all their bags with them).
Our group was called at 7:45. We went down to deck 2 and through the terminal where Customs was waiting. They just took our photo, asked our name and that was it.
Into the big hall where all the bags were laid out by color. We were pink. When we got to the pink area there were only about 50 bags. Ours was not among us. The staff there had no idea where all the bags were and just said “they must not be unloaded yet” and “try the red section”. This went on for a half hour as the tension mounted for a lot of passengers who had pink and had no luggage. You start to get nervous about being able to get to the airport and through TSA with a bit of time left.
The bags finally came out and we were directed to a small SUV taxi. The driver had a terrible time getting our 3 bags into the vehicle with enough room for us.
We had First Class seats on the way home, so we got to check in quickly and directed to the Priority TSA line. That only took about 5 minutes, so we ended up having plenty of time. We made our way to a lounge and relaxed until boarding time. Good thing we checked the departure board, as they changed gates during the hour and a half we were in the lounge.
The plane took off on time and actually arrived in Sacramento early.
Eric from Vintage Limousine was already there and we were home by 1:30.
Matt then went shopping for essentials before the girls were delivered. Instant bath for them.
I unpacked while Matt was shopping, and he unpacked after dinner.
The girls are happy to be home and back in their bed and chair.