Sat 14 April 2012
Well after the good night’s sleep, then shower and shave it
was down for a late brekkie where most of the folk in the dining were also going
on the ship.
As I had a fast wifi service in the hotel I caught up with
emails, banking and updating the blog etc. At 12 noon I got a cab to the ship.
The check-in went very well and I was in my cabin by 1pm. I then headed out to
explore the beautiful city of New Orleans in perfect weather during the 2012
French Quarter Festival. Wow, the place was crowded as it is the largest free
music festival in the south.
Outside the cruise terminal I caught a tram that was
going on the River front line which let me experience the concerts and festivities
of the River Park. I came back to Canal Street then took another Tram called
the Canal Streetcar which took me out to the cemetery where all the graves are
above ground. On the return trip I stopped of at Bourbon St to have a look. Boy
oh boy it was crowded and everyone was in a festival mood. I came back to the
Streetcar and could only go a few blocks as the tram could not go any further
because of traffic jams, so all out and walk. It took about 20 minutes to
walk back to the ship.
At about 6.45pm and only one of my bags had arrived up in my
cabin, so I asked my cabin attendant (Milroy) was there a problem. Well well
well! There was. In the security scan they saw I had 2 bottles of alcohol in my
big bag, a big no no, with this company. They took them and will keep the
unopened bottle of Vodka to give back to me at the end of the cruise. But the
opened bottle of scotch that I had had 2 drinks out of it in the hotel, so the
remainder had to be poured out…. Yeah Right!! I only hope the crew enjoy it. This would never happen to ‘Sir Pat’ on HAL.
I can not buy an alcohol package on this ship to have in my
cabin like on HAL ships.
The Balcony Suite I have is very good and comfortable and
Milroy is an Indian bloke and is treating me royally. Being from India he is a
mad cricket fan so we had a chat about cricket. He knows more about the Aussie
side than I do so for much of the conversation I just smiled and nodded.
They had the mandatory life boat drill at 8pm so I got to
dinner late at about 8.50pm (my dinner time was for 8.30pm). OMG what a table,
5 blokes all middle aged or over. They are 2 German absent minded eccentric
professor looking blokes who would not speak to the others at the table and 2
American blokes travelling solo. One of the yanks is very nice gent but the
other was a bit drunk and seemed to have problems understanding me. I will leave my options open but I may have
to ask for another table if things don’t improve over the next few meals.
It was just after midnight by the time I got up to the cabin
as I went and had a Guinness at the Pig & Whistle pub. Drink prices are
much higher than HAL and Happy Hour is for only their mixed drink of the day.
The ship left port about 11pm and we were stilling going
down the Mississippi River when I got up to the cabin so it was nice to sit out
on the balcony and watch the lights go by before turning in for the night.
Sunday 15 April 2012
I awoke about 7.30am after a good nights sleep so after a
shower I set out to find some brekkie, I went up to the Windjammer for a
buffet brekkie which was very nice.
When I got down to the cabin I asked Milroy about getting
some laundry done, he advised me to wait a few days as they will have all you
can put in the bag special for $25 so I will wait.
This is such a large ship that I have no problems getting my
target 10,000 steps in the day and that is just by going to one place from
another. I had a look around the shopping mall and the various shops which are
a bit on the expensive side.
At lunch in the Windjammer I shared a table with 2 American
couples from near New Orleans and they were great company, actually we sat
chatting for nearly 2 hours. I had a short nanna nap before going to the pub
for Happy Hour.
I did the Happy Hour at the Pig and Whistle Pub and would you
believe the only people at the bar were Queenslanders and we are all on the
cruise until Singapore. One of the guys had managed pubs and Motels in Mackay
and Airlie Beach in the 1980’s so we had lots to talk about as that was my
patch in my Tourist Bureau days. The other guy was a Scot but has lived in OZ
for the past 40 years both are going on to Singapore so I should get to know
them better over the next 41 days. It has been so funny as all the Aussies I
have met so far have been Queenslanders.
Dinner was a great contrast compared to the first night as
the eccentric German guys did not turn up, Steve the nice guy turns out to be a
Greek American so we wished him a Happy Easter as it was Easter Sunday on the
Eastern Calender. Mac, the drunken guy
on the first night apologised for his condition the previous night and
turned out to be good and humorous company for the evening.
So the 3 of us
chatted and had an enjoyable meal. I do miss having some female company at the
table. We were one of the last tables to leave the dinning room. I will reserve
my right to change tables but for the meantime I will stay at this table as
both these guys are only on board until Barcelona. I wonder if the Germans will
come back.
I retired to my cabin just before midnight and ended up
watching the movie Good Morning Viet Nam so it was about 1.30am by the time I
got to bed.
Monday 16 Apr 2012
I woke up at 7am to a perfect sunny calm morning so I had
brekkie out on my balcony in the sunshine. I would guess the temp is in the low
20’s C (mid 70’s F) so it was just perfect.
I spent the morning exploring the ship and then had a light
lunch in the Windjammer where I met a guy from Adelaide and we chatted for over
an hour. Then it was time for a nanna nap for the rest of the arvo. Happy Hour
at the Pig and Whistle was great as I’m getting to know a few of the regulars
that go there.
As it was a formal night I had to get into the tux, but only
about 30% were that formal, some guys didn’t even have a tie or a jacket on.
Dinner with Steve and Mac ended up being very politically lively as I tested
the water by saying what a great job I thought President Obama was doing. Mac
agreed but Steve nearly had a heart attack and went on to only have negative
things to say as he is very right wing in his views. Oh well you can’t win them all. Other than
that it was a great meal and the company was good and as usual we were one of
the last tables to leave.
After a Guinness night cap it was off to bed about 11.30pm.
Tues 17 Apr 2012
I awoke about 6.45am just we were arriving into the port of
Nassau in the Bahamas the first port of the cruise. There are 5 other ships in
port so the little town was very busy and it was impossible to get on to wifi.
I guess the systems here are not geared up for an additional 15,000 folk in
town for the day.
I met Steve at Brekkie so we decided to go ashore together
for a walk around the town and see the sights. After about an hour of sight
seeing we found a Greek restaurant on an upstairs balcony overlooking the main
street so we went up there and had a few Greek beers and a Greek food snack.
Wow what a place with a nice gentle cool breeze that made it a very comfortable
place to watch the passing crowds.
As Steve is Greek American he did the
greetings in Greek and as a result we got VIP treatment. We came back to the ship by mid afternoon. So
after a coffee I had the usual nanna nap before Happy Hour.
My cabin guy gave me a ships shoulder bag but told me not to
say he gave it to me as they are only for special guests. I gave him a small
Koala this morning and I guess this is his way of saying thank you. It was the
type of bag we get as 4 star on HAL so don’t mention this to anyone. Who am I
to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Happy Hour was a heap of fun as I was with 2 Aussies that
had come out from the UK thirty years ago but still spoke with Pommie accents.
Then off to dinner with Steve and Mac which are great company as we are all
getting to know each other but I do wish we had some female company at the
table.
Before going down to the bar I grabbed some little Koala
Bears to give to the bar staff. Well blow me down you would think I had given
them a $50 bill, they were so excited. So it was another great night. I got up
to bed just before 1 am.
Wed 18 April 2012
My king size bed is so comfortable I slept in until 7.55am
so it was a rush to get down to the dinning room to meet Mac and Steve for
brekkie. Wow what a table we were put at, it was so much fun, as 2 of the
ladies were Afro-American named Gwen and Pat. Gwen reminded me of Woopee
Goldberg and she was just as funny. We even suggested they come and join our
table for dinner tonight.
Milroy was busy doing my room when I got back up to the
cabin; he is so particular and does an excellent job.
I spent the morning just resting in the sun and listening to
music on my balcony. We lost another hour at 12noon today so it was 1.15pm by
the time I went to lunch. I met a Brit couple in the lift and he was wearing a
Ms Noordam t-shirt so we struck up a conversation as the Noordam was my first
ship I went cruising on. It was good to hear them say they prefer Holland
America cruises as that’s how I feel myself. I guess I have been spoilt by HAL
and I miss the ‘Sir Pat ‘ special treatment I receive on HAL ships. They joined
me for lunch and we had a great conversation.
I had the usual nanna nap in the arvo before going to Happy
Hour where I meet up with a few Pommie Aussies for a few drinks before getting
ready for dinner.
Dinner with Steve and Mac was the usual fun and we were
joined for coffee by our new friends Gwen and Pat so there was heaps of laughs.
After dinner the blokes took me up to the bar on deck 14 to have a night cap. I
guess it is the equivalent to the Crows Nest on a HAL ship. It was just after
midnight before I got down to the cabin for the night
Mac has arranged to meet me at 7am in the morning to go
walking on deck 13 before we go to brekkie with Steve at 8am.
Thur 19 Apr 2012
I was up at 5.30am and went up to deck 11 to get some coffee
to start the day. At 7am Mac phoned me and we met up on deck 12 to do the
walking. We walked for about 40 minutes before going down to get ready for
brekkie. We (Steve, Mac, Pat, Gwen and
I) all met up at 8am and had a hilarious brekkie with heaps of laughs. There
were a few other people that were also allocated to our table and at first they
wondered what they had got themselves into, but after a while they got into the
swing of things and now want to join us again as they also enjoyed themselves.
After brekkie I went to get some Euros, but they do not work
the same way as HAL with cash advances so I had to change a US$100.00 note into
Euro. They have an ATM on board but it only gives out US $’s and a fee of $6.00
is charged per transaction so I will get some more Euro from an ATM ashore in
Spain if required. I prefer the HAL system of cash advances and then it goes
onto the shipboard account which is then settled by credit card at the end of
the cruise.
It is another fine calm day at sea as we cross the Atlantic
Ocean. I only had a small snack for lunch before going up to have a nanna nap.
At Happy hour I met the ship’s Purser who is an Aussie and a
nice bloke. He didn’t buy us a beer (well he was from New South Wales).
Dinner was just the 3 of us again and as usual was a
pleasant time with great conversation. After dinner I thought I would buy an
internet package and on this ship nothing is easy so I mucked around for nearly
2 hours going backwards and forwards to the office from the library only to
find out I can not use it on my laptop in my cabin. I have to go down to one of
the hot spots and try to login with heaps of other folk to an extremely slow
system.
Fri 20 April 2012
I woke up just before 6.45 am just in time to be dressed and
ready to join Mac at 7am for our walk before brekkie. We did 3 miles today just
as the sun was coming up out of the ocean as a bright orange ball. The full
effect of the sunrise was spoilt by clouds just above the horizon.
Brekkie was tops as we were joined by 2 Canadian couples and
2 Aussies so my 2 Yank mates were very out numbered.
After Brekkie I went up to my cabin to shower and shave
before going to find a wifi hotspot to see if I can get this report emailed to
you. It is now Friday11.30am local time on 20 April 2012.
I had a light lunch in the
Windjammer and was served by a guy from Bali called Made, so I now have a new
Made to add to my cruise collection of food waiters. He was a bit surprised
when I said ‘good afternoon’ to him in Indonesian and asked him where in Bali
he came from. He gave me VIP treatment for the remainder of the meal, it was a
bit like being in the Lido on a HAL ship. Unlike HAL there are not many
Indonesian or Pilipino crew on board however there are heaps of Chinese and
Indian crew.
After lunch I had a long nanna nap
that made me late for Happy hour which was noted because I was cheered when I
walked in. After a few drinks it was up to change into formal gear for dinner.
The 3 of us had the usual good time and conversation at the table.
We went up to the High Notes bar
for a night cap after dinner and on the way back to my cabin I called into the
Pig & Whistle for a Guinness. There was a beaut sing-along happening so I
stayed for another Guinness. I think it was about 1am when I turned in to bed.
Sat 21 Apr 2012
I was a bit foggy when Mac rang me
at 7am for the walk so we met at 7.15am then had a coffee before doing our 2
miles at 7.30am. We met Steve at 8.10am for brekkie in the dinning room. I came
back to the cabin, had a shower then went back to bed for the morning. I was
woken by the announcement at 12noon to put the time forward an hour. I think
that is the 6th day in a row that we have had to put the time
forward. Milroy the cabin boy says it makes him very busy as he gets an hour
less to get through his duties.
I didn’t have any lunch so I went
up to the Windjammer to have coffee and bickies about 3 pm and caught up with
Mac so we chatted until it was time to go to Happy Hour. On the way we met up
with Steve so the 3 of us went in to the Pig & Whistle, as Mac had some
sort of 2 for 1 voucher he shouted us a drink, I had a Guinness. My Yank mates
don’t drink that much so after one drink they left so I joined the Poms and
Aussies and had another 2 drinks before going up to get ready for dinner.
Dinner was great as I had Thai
prawns followed by fried chicken. It was 10.20 pm when we finished, I decided
to have an early night went up to the cabin.
Sunday 22 Oct 2012
I awoke feeling well and fit after 9 and a half hours sleep
at 7am so I got ready to meet up with Mac for coffee and our walk. We spent too
much time having coffee that we went down to meet Steve for brekkie. After
brekkie we did our 2 mile walk
I then came down for a shower and went up to deck to use the
slow internet so 40 minutes later what should have taken me 20 minutes because
of all the stupid jokes I had to delete (and not even open) I was able to send
out my blog.
Lunch I had with Mac and we chatted for a couple of hours
before I went down the cabin for the nanna nap.
Would you believe there were some young loud mouth Yanks
sitting in Sir Pat’s and his mates places at the bar when I arrived for Happy
hour. We had to go up to the other end of the bar and stand until they left.
This would have never have happened on HAL. Then a big fat bloke sat in the
middle of us and turned his back on some of us which meant we had to talk over
his shoulder instead of him just moving down by one bar stool. I guess he felt
he had some power by pissing us off. Anyway when he got up from finishing his
iced water we all cheered. He was so up himself he didn’t get it. Oh well you
can win some of the people some of the time but you can not win all the people
all of the time.
I heard by some folk there will be an ANZAC Service on the
25th April so it will be interesting to see what it will be like as
there are a couple of hundred Aussies on board.
I had dinner with Steve as Mac had gone to the so called posh
restaurant with some of his Pommie mates.
After dinner I thought I would have another early night and
retired to the cabin at 11.00 pm. (Peder and Craig…There is no way this mob get
my money over the bar as I don’t feel at home like with you guys and your staff
made me feel.)
Monday 23 Apr 2012
I awoke at 7 am and was ready to go up to meet Mac before
our walk at 7.30, however he had slept in after his night out at the posh
restaurant so we met at 8 am. He said the service was very slow and having a table
of 15 didn't help to speed things up.
At 8.30 we met Steve for Brekkie in the dinning room, which is
always a heap of fun as the waiters know they can joke with us. After brekkie
it was off to do our 2 mile walk on deck 11.
Late morning I went to use the internet but it was not
working. I ran into some Aussies from Sydney and they had heard that big
political things are happening Downunder so we are going to meet up at Happy
Hour to see what is going on. On this ship there is no little newspaper of the
various countries like on HAL ships. The Satellite is not even picking up the
Yankee CNN TV so we are in the dark with the outside world.
Steve, Mac and I caught up for a late lunch and as usual
chatted for a few hours before going down to get ready for Happy hour and then
dinner. As Steve was going with other
friends to the posh dinning room it was up to Mac and I to hold court at our
table. After dinner we went to a bar on
deck 4 for a night cap. I was in bed by 11 pm after 7th consecutive
day at sea.
I think most folk on board are looking to going ashore tomorrow
when we visit Ponta Delgada in the Azores.
Tues 24 April 2012
What a perfect sunny and warmish day to see land again and
to be going ashore. I had brekkie with Steve and will meet him to go ashore
with at 10am so I will try to find wifi in town to send this update. This is a
different Port to what we called in to last year when I was in the Azores on
the Ms Prinsendam.
We walked around for about an hour then had a coffee in the
city square in the sunshine. Very relaxing it was and just to watch the passing
parade of folk going about their business was enjoyable. We headed back to the
cruise Terminal to use the free Wifi although it was a bit slow.
I did a bit of shopping then returned back to the ship. The
cruise Nazis had heaps of folk pulled up and was confiscating the small amounts
of alcohol they were trying to bring on. I think the ‘Friends of Bill’ and the
Temperance League manage this ship. NO I didn’t try to get any drinks on
board!!!
Mac Steve and I had a late light lunch up in the Windjammer
as the ship was departing the port. Then it was time for Happy hour and to get
ready for dinner.
I called it an early night about 10.45 pm as I have to be up
at 7am for the ANZAC day service tomorrow morning.
Wed 25 April 2012
(ANZAC DAY)
The ANZAC Service went off very well with a few hundred
attending. Fr David the Catholic priest on board and a retired US Navy Chaplin
made a very moving short speech. It was a shame that because of the rain it was
held indoors. I took my 2 Yank mates (Mac & Steve) along as my guests and
it was there first Anzac service. Actually they had never heard of Anzac Day
before and both were pleased they had attended.
We were served at Brekkie by the Turkish Maître de and he
told my American mates of the importance of Anzac Day in Turkey and the high
respect the Turks have for the Anzacs and the thousands of young Kiwis and
Aussies that flood into Gallipoli each year to keep the memory and spirit of
the Anzac alive 97 years after the bloody battle.
After brekkie it was up to bed to have a nanna nap as it was
to wet to go walking. It is a shame as my waist line is expanding a little.
After all the work I have done over the past 6 months to loose 17kgs, I do not
want to put on too much or any extra weight during the cruise.
I had a late light lunch with the guys, I was late because I
forgot to put the time on by an hour. I understand we are now on UK time and
tomorrow we advance the time again to Spanish time.
The formal night well should I say ‘the not so formal night’
as many do not dress up or even wear a tie. I just wore a tie and blazer and
not the tux as my yank tablemates don’t wear tuxes at all. The lobster was very good
but very small and we had to remove it from its shell ourselves. Maybe this is
another economy measure this cruise mob is making.
I went to the show with the boys after dinner to see a very
bad lookalike Elton John impersonation. I lasted only 4 songs as I realised he
just wasn’t going to improve. After the 2nd song the bloke beside me
asked me to wake him if the show improves. I met up in the Pommie Pub with many
others that had walked out. I had a Guinness night cap and went off to bed at
11.15pm.
Thur 26 April 2012
Today is our last sea day on this segment of the cruise
before Barcelona. I met the boys for
Brekkie at 8 am and after discussing the world issues for 2 hours it was time
for Mac and I to do our 2 miles around the deck.
At 11 am I had to go to Consecutive Cruiser Briefing and to
hand in our Passports so the visas and other official work could be done prior
to us departing on the Barcelona to Dubai segment. Well one would think this
would be a fairly task, but No NO NO!!!!
I went down to find over 600 fellow passengers lined up to
go into the small area they had allotted. The queue was moving very slowly and
having over 20 minutes in line the troops were not very happy and comments were
made like, “This would not happen on Princess or Holland America!!!” which I
had to agree with. They (Senior Management guest relations) were totally unprepared
for the numbers. Then when the meeting started they had a take it or leave
attitude because the folk going through to Singapore have 2 or 3 changes of
cabin, I have 2 changes. They wanted to blame our Travel agents for the stuff
ups. No way as I booked this Cruise about 10 months ago and my competent travel
consultant tried then to get me the same cabin for the 3 segments and was told
it was not possible. Maybe they should stick to doing 7 day cruises to the
Caribbean.
Let me tell you after wasting 2 hours with these incompetent
idiots I needed a drink. Folk going through on the next segment loose any
Internet or wine packages they may have had and have to start again. This mob treats
all segments as a new cruise. Boy oh boy, they have a lot to learn if they wish
to compete on longer cruises with companies like Holland America or Princess.
I met up with the guys for a 2 hour lunch and we had a bonus
of whale watching for about 30 minutes.
The clocks went forward another hour today at mid day so it
is another short arvo.
The happy hour and dinner went very well and Steve and I
joined the other Aussies in the Pig & Whistle Pub for a night cap.
I will try to update the blog tomorrow in Malaga Spain if I
can get a Wifi café.
I know many of you
have made comments on my complaining on the service or should I say lack of
this cruise. Well I feel sorry for but do not blame the troops as they do not
get the support of the management with their ‘take it or leave it’ attitude.
Fri 27 May 2012
We arrived in Malaga in perfect weather conditions to visit
this beautiful Spanish city. We were transferred from the port to the down town
by shuttle bus. The city was holding its Film Festival so there were red
carpets on the marble pavements and the city seemed to be in a very festive
mood.
We had a couple of coffees in a sidewalk café on the main
square where they gave us free wifi. I was able to catch up on all the emails (
deleted 57 unread jokes as I do not have the time to open and read them while travelling).
After walking around this very relaxed city we found another
side walk restaurant and had a few beers and tapas for lunch. What a fantastic
way to people watch. The relaxed way of life here is even slower than in
Cairns. After more shopping it was back to catch the shuttle to return to the
ship.
Guess what? The security for going on-board was conducted by
the local people in the terminal. So folk were buying up on their drink supplies
after security in the terminal shops and discreetly putting it in there back
packs and bringing it on board. No, I could not be bothered.
It was good to have a hot shower prior to going down for a
few cocktails before dinner. Dinner was as usual a beaut talkfest with heaps of
laughs. I finished up the night at the sing-along at the Pommie Pub. I was in
bed by 11.30pm.
Sat 28 April 2012
We docked at Cartagena Spain just after 8 am however Steve
and I did not leave the ship until 10 am because nothing opens before then in
Spain. It was just a short 3 minute walk to the town.
We had a beer after
walking for a mile or so in a street café where we conducted court with locals
and heaps of Brits off the P&O ship also in port. 
After some walking we had lunch at a pizza place also
outside on the Marble street where I was able to read my emails on the phone
and post a photo of me with Pinocchio on Facebook.
It was good to be able to walk around but the marble
footpaths take a toll on my feet and I seem to get tired legs much sooner than
on normal concrete footpaths. We walked about 4 miles during the day and we
could see a storm coming so we decided to hightail it back to the ship. We were
wing blown and made it to the gangway just as the huge cold raindrops fell.
We were to depart at 5 pm however the storm put an end to
that bur at 5.30 pm the P&O ship was assisted out of this tricky port with
4 tugs. My Yank mates came up to my veranda armed with wine and snacks to watch
the fun and games of getting the P&O ship out to sea. The pilot was then
trapped on the P&O vessel as the seas were too wild to get him off and back
to port to take us out.
We ended up leaving port about 8 pm and the storm had eased
off a lot. The big Voyager of the Seas made our departure a very smooth one
compared with the smaller P&O ships.
After a fun filled dinner (by now the staff love coming over
to our table to say G’day even though they are not waiting on us) we went and
had one night cap. I was in bed by 11.15pm.
Sunday 29 April 2012
We arrived in Valencia in perfect sunny weather
conditions. As we were in the industrial
part of the port we had to be coached into the city.
Steve and I set of walking
and after crossing a bridge we came upon to be a Fair that was just starting.
In fact it turned out to be a Appaloosa horse show with riders (blokes and sheilas)
in traditional Spanish costume.
We went into one of the marques to have a beer
and a snack and were the only non Spanish speaking guys, but the very friendly
locals looked after us like honoured guests. We spent over 2 hours at the horse
show watching the parade and the dancing horses going through their moves. This
was a bonus as being a Sunday no shops were open in the city.
There were a few drinks back on board before the ‘last
super’ for my Yank table mate Steve and Mac as they were leaving the ship in
Barcelona tomorrow. I had a few after dinner drinks with them before calling it
a night about midnight.
Monday 30 April 2012
The last day of the first segment of the cruise was greeted
with a rainy cold windy early morning,
but by 9 am the sun was out and trying to warm things up. I went into Barcelona
by cab with Steve to help him with his cases and he checked into his hotel. His
room wasn’t ready so we cloaked his luggage and set out to walk around the
city.
The weather now had greatly improved and was very pleasant in the
sunshine.
After an hour or so of walking around we went up to the
famous Zurich Café to have coffee out on the sidewalk and do some serious
people watching in the sunshine.
We also met up with George
& Alice from
the ship and then went off to a restaurant on the Rambia for tapas and a few
wines. We spent a few hours there then said a sad
goodbye to Steve and I returned back to the ship with George and Alice on the
bus.
We had to use our new ship card to reboard as this is day one of the next
leg of the cruise from Barcelona to Dubai.
I really enjoyed my second visit to Barcelona; it is a
bustling and very much alive tourist city.
