Last Wednesday night I was invited as a guest for cocktails and dinner on board the Ms Amsterdam on her visit to Cairns as part of the grand world voyage. Helen a lovely Irish lady I met last year on the Amsterdam invited me and two other friends from Cairns who she had met on the world cruise back in 2008. I have also known John and Di of the past 17 years since I have lived in Cairns. Actually it was John and Di that talked me into my first Holland America cruise back in 2008.
John, Di and myself met up with Helen at 5 PM at the Cairns cruise terminal to go on board. Whenever I board a Holland America ship it is like going home. Helen took us on a short tour of the ship before we settled for a drink at the Seaview bar on the Lido deck. Unfortunately the weather was not the best and the wet season lived up to its name with heavy showers during the ships visit to the port.
After Helen’s welcome on-board drinks on the deck overlooking Cairns she then escorted us up to the Crow’s Nest for pre-dinner cocktails. It was during this time other friends from last year's world cruise came up to me to say hello. Ellen & I
It was great to catch up with Bill and Mary Ann, Ellen and Barb who were table mates with me on last year's cruise. Ellen had arranged for the four of us to join their table for dinner. When we arrived at the table I was surprised that I knew all the others with the exception of one lady. It was good to catch up with Tom who works with Ellen as a tour escort for a large American tour company.
Bill & Mary Ann
Helen & I
Ellen, Barb and Myself
Tom & I
To my surprise one of the gentlemen seated at the table was Ron Garfield a friend of mine from my old tourist industry days when he lived on Lindeman Island in the Whitsunday Passage. I think we calculated it had been over 35 years since we last saw each other.
Ron & I
We had a table of 12 people and the company was so good we were the last group to leave the dining room. As there had been an Aussie barbecue on the Lido deck the dining room was not that busy as many of the other passengers had gone to the BBQ . As usual we received excellent service from the food and the wine waiters during the meal. After dinner we adjourned back to the Crow’s Nest for after-dinner drinks.
On walking into the Crow's Nest I was greeted by G’Day G’Day over the microphone by the lead singer of the very talented Filipino band. Last year for Australia Day I gave the boys in the band some Aussie music and songs including Slim Dusty's ‘G'day G'day’. So by the time I had my first drink they started playing this song and all the folk that knew me from last year joined in the chorus. There is no doubt that the excellent staff on this ship know how to welcome back a past passenger.
I caught up with Aussie Rhonda a visitor also for the evening. Rhonda has done many world cruises before on the Amsterdam.
